Southwark Cost of Living Fund

There is a new Southwark Cost of Living Fund this autumn and winter (October 2024 to March 2025).

This is for Southwark residents at risk of hardship because of higher costs of:

• food
• energy (prices are rising again this winter)
• other essentials

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
• low-income households living in energy-inefficient homes that are more expensive to heat 

Payments sent to vulnerable households 

In February, thousands of one-off cost-of-living payments worth between £100 and £200 will be sent to vulnerable households.  

Payments will provide help with higher energy bills this winter and include:

• payments for frail or disabled residents receiving care provided by the council
• payments for vulnerable pension-age residents with low incomes
• payments for other low-income households living in energy-inefficient homes
• payments for young people previously “looked after” by the council

All payments will be Post Office Payout vouchers.

Recipients do not need to apply for these payments. All those eligible have been identified from the data we hold. Post Office Payout vouchers can be redeemed at any Post Office counter. Use the Post Office Branch Finder to locate your nearest office.

If recipients cannot go to a post office because of limited mobility, for example, the voucher includes information about how they can get help to redeem their voucher.

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 are 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 with Universal Credit, including Housing Benefit. Between October 2024 and March 2025, households in Southwark still receiving these benefits must apply for Universal Credit.

If you or your partner receive Housing Benefit (alone or with other benefits) and get 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