Southwark Better Living Fund
Get help to buy food, energy and other essentials. Get a one-off payment if you get Housing Benefit and are being moved to Universal Credit.
This year, support will be available for Southwark residents experiencing a crisis or at risk of hardship.
The fund will mainly support our lowest-income and most vulnerable residents. This includes:
- children and young people
- the elderly
- the sick and/or disabled with care needs
The Better Living Fund offers the following available support. Throughout the year, more information will be added about other forms of support.
Holiday free school meals
If you have one or more children attending a Southwark school who are eligible for benefits-related free school meals, you will receive help paying for their meals during the February half-term 2025.
The support is worth £3 per day (the value of a daily school meal) per eligible child.
Support will be provided automatically just before each holiday period, sent by email or post in the form of a Post Office voucher.
If you're expecting or have been issued a voucher that has not been received, has been issued with the wrong details, has expired or is lost/stolen, you can get a replacement by completing and submitting our online Holiday Free School Meals - Make an enquiry form.
Holiday clubs for children aged 4 to 16
If your child gets benefits-related free school meals, they can join a Food and Fun holiday club in Southwark this winter. The clubs run fun activities and provide healthy and free food.
Supporting residents move to Universal Credit
The UK government is replacing legacy benefits, including Housing Benefit, with Universal Credit. Between October 2024 and March 2025, households in Southwark who are still receiving these benefits must apply for Universal Credit.
If you or your partner receives Housing Benefit (alone or with other benefits) and gets a letter from the Department for Work and Pensions telling you to apply for Universal Credit, we will give you a one-time payment of £250. This payment will help you pay for food, energy, and other essentials while you wait five weeks for your first Universal Credit payment.
Southwark Emergency Support Scheme
The Southwark Emergency Support Scheme (SESS) can help if you're a Southwark resident of any age facing a crisis.
You can apply if you or your partner are receiving one of the benefits listed below or have made a claim for one or more of these benefits in the last six weeks and are waiting for a decision on a claim:
- Universal Credit
- Income Support
- Jobseeker's Allowance (income based)
- Employment Support Allowance (income based)
- Pension Credit
