People living in Fareham are being told not to suffer in silence as cost of living support from the government is axed.

The Local Government Association (LGA) has warned that many families face a cliff-edge in cost of living support as the household support fund (HSF) ends.

The HSF, which is set to expire in September, provides assistance to people struggling to buy food, pay bills, and meet other essential needs.

Executive member for housing at Fareham Borough Council Councillor Fred Birkett said 4,000 households have been helped using this funding.

“When the household support funding comes to an end, I would encourage Fareham residents to refer to our cost of living webpages for information and additional support available. There are a number of funds which you could be eligible to apply for, from both the council and from local charities, as well as specific advice for managing household bills and tackling debt. 

“Most importantly, the council is here to help local residents wherever possible, so do not suffer in silence. Please call our customer advisors who can put you in touch with the best department to offer support for your individual needs.”

Cllr Birkett is also Fareham Park’s Conservative ward councillor and said the borough council received HSF funding from Hampshire County Council during 2024-25, including a six-month extension to help support more residents. 

He said: “Fareham received very specific direction on what our allocation could be spent on, which included supermarket vouchers and an exceptional housing grant to provide financial support with things such as white goods, carpets and some household bills.” 

In an exclusive survey, the LGA found that six in 10 councils won’t be able to provide extra welfare support and 94 per cent of local authorities believe the fund should continue.

A further 84 per cent of respondents expect demand for cost of living support to increase over the winter and 67 per cent said local welfare funding would decrease if the HSF was discontinued.

The household support fund was introduced by the previous Conservative government in 2021.

In a recent post on X, Rachel Reeves MP, the current Chancellor of the Exchequer, said: “We are under no illusion as to the scale of the challenge we have inherited from the Conservatives after more than a decade of low growth and a £22 billion black hole in the public finances.

“We are taking the tough decisions now to fix the foundations, so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off.”