More than £30 million of government funding allocated to help most vulnerable households across Staffordshire and the Black Country

The funding, allocated by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to councils in England, will extend the Household Support Fund for another year.

Dudley has been allocated £5.25m, Sandwell £6.9m, Walsall £5.6m, Wolverhampton £5.26m and Staffordshire £11m.

Councils will decide how best to spend their allocation of the fund – now worth £2 billion across its lifetime – by drawing from local knowledge and making direct contact with people in the community.

They will be able to support the most vulnerable households in their local area – helping them with the cost of essentials like groceries, toiletries, and warm clothes, as well as providing further support with energy bills.

Mims Davies, DWP minister for social mobility, youth and progression, said: “This significant extension to the government’s Household Support Fund is hugely welcome – as it has already helped millions of vulnerable families across England through these financially-testing times and will continue to do so over the next year.

“Last week, I visited one council that is using their allocation to well on a range of issues from food insecurity to tackling bed poverty.

“There, the Household Support Fund has resulted in hundreds of cots and beds being provided to vulnerable households to increase comfort and wellbeing.

“This is just one example of the important locally led schemes providing tailored support help to those that need it most in challenging times.

“This fund is of course just one part of our extensive cost of living support package for families that is complementing our efforts to halve inflation – one of the Prime Minister’s top priorities - to reduce prices for us all.”

Devolved administrations have also been allocated funding in parallel as a result of the Barnett Formula to spend at their discretion, bringing the total amount of new funding to almost £1 billion.

The Household Support Fund comes on top of support for those in need in the coming months with many receiving direct payments in 2023/24.

Millions of UK households will receive the first £301 payment of up to £900 in Cost of Living Support directly from the DWP between April 25 and May 17.

This is on top of a £150 payment for those on disability benefits.

The Household Support Fund was first launched on October 6, 2021, and has been extended several times.

The latest extension lasts until March 31, 2024 and represents the fourth edition of the fund.

Local authorities have discretion on how they design and deliver their scheme depending on local need, within the parameters of the guidance set out by the DWP.