Residents’ and professionals’ experiences of accessing, navigating, and relying on the Household Support Fund in Wirral.

Residents’ and professionals’ experiences of accessing, navigating, and relying on the Household Support Fund in Wirral.

This qualitative research explored how residents and professionals experience the Household Support Fund (HSF) in Wirral. Insights highlight complex reasons for seeking support, including financial hardship, mental health challenges, ageing, physical health issues, and institutional barriers such as immigration status. Residents reported significant barriers including stigma, digital exclusion, language, cultural differences, and delays in accessing help. Communication was found to rely heavily on word of mouth. Professionals described increasing demand, uncertainties about ongoing funding, and challenges supporting people in crisis. The findings provide a detailed picture of residents’ reliance on HSF and the essential role of community organisations.

Insights gathered: January 2025 - February 2025

Insights gathered by

Qualitative Insight Team, Public Health, Wirral Council

Aim

The aim was to understand residents’ and professionals’ experiences of the Household Support Fund, including reasons for accessing support, barriers faced, the extent of reliance on the fund, and communication around available help. The work also explored whether residents accessed multiple forms of HSF support and identified wider systemic, financial, and personal circumstances influencing need. These insights were intended to inform decision making, strengthen understanding of lived experiences, and identify opportunities to improve support delivery.

People engaged with

Engagement included ten residents aged between 18 and over 70, comprising a mix of men and women from diverse ethnic backgrounds, including British, African, Caribbean, and Chinese communities. Residents included older people, asylum seekers, people with health conditions, single parents, and individuals experiencing financial hardship, digital exclusion, or social isolation. Five professionals from stakeholder organisations were also engaged.

Methods

Insights were gathered through qualitative methods between January and February 2025. The research involved a focus group with five professionals from organisations delivering HSF and ten in depth interviews with residents receiving support. Researchers explored lived experiences, communication pathways, barriers to accessing help, and the context surrounding people’s financial, health, and social circumstances. Data collection took place within community settings connected to participating organisations. The insight team used thematic analysis to identify patterns, themes, and contextual factors across interviews and the focus group. Analysis involved collating narratives, reviewing recurrent ideas, and grouping findings into core themes including reasons for accessing support, barriers, communication, and forward planning. Pseudonyms were used to protect residents’ identities, and direct quotes were extracted to illustrate lived experience.

Key insights

Residents and professionals described varied and complex reasons why people access the Household Support Fund.

Financial hardship was the overarching theme, often linked to life events such as relationship breakdown, job loss, bereavement, ageing, declining health, or being unable to work due to immigration status. Residents also described mental health challenges, social isolation, lack of family support, and physical limitations affecting their ability to manage daily living.

Some older residents struggled due to inadequate pension levels or outdated skillsets, while asylum seekers faced restrictions preventing them from working. Residents commonly did not realise they were receiving HSF specifically, instead viewing support as coming from local organisations. Several had engaged with multiple organisations for different needs, while others did not due to fear, lack of information, or immigration restrictions.

Digital exclusion, limited computer literacy, and reliance on face to face communication were significant barriers. Language barriers and cultural differences also affected access, with some residents sharing that cultural norms discouraged seeking help, particularly among older generations or those from countries where discussing personal hardship is taboo. Other barriers included delays in receiving benefits, administrative complications, mistrust of institutions, and experiences of generic support that felt insufficiently personalised to residents’ needs.

Mental health difficulties, especially isolation or lack of confidence, limited people’s ability to seek help. Professionals echoed these insights, describing stigma, pride, and shame as major issues preventing early engagement. Professionals also highlighted systemic pressures, including rising living costs, energy prices, and increased demand from households who had previously been financially stable.

Many residents approached organisations only when in crisis, after utilities had been cut off or debts had escalated. Professionals described a significant increase in crisis level presentations in recent years. Communication about support was found to rely heavily on word of mouth. Residents were more likely to engage when support was communicated by trusted individuals, as their awareness of online sources of information was generally low. Professionals noted multiple communication channels, including drop ins, outreach, WhatsApp groups, and referrals, but acknowledged that not all residents were aware of available opportunities.

Uncertainty about future HSF funding was a major barrier for professionals, limiting planning capacity and delaying support during periods where continued funding was not confirmed. Some organisations used charitable reserves to bridge gaps. Professionals also emphasised the need for greater digital inclusion, improved energy advice, and better referral pathways between organisations. Residents expressed deep concern about the impact if the fund were cancelled. Many felt they would have nowhere else to turn and feared their situations would worsen.

Case studies illustrated how HSF support was vital for preventing crisis, enabling access to food, heating, essential household items, and tailored support.

Overall, the insights demonstrate that the Household Support Fund plays an essential role in supporting residents facing complex and overlapping challenges. Findings highlight opportunities to improve communication, reduce barriers, strengthen early intervention, and ensure continuity of support for vulnerable groups.

Quotes

“People need to help people… practical issues like this can turn into mental health problems, suicidal problems.”

“I don’t have any support outside of this organisation… If the support was ever cancelled, I would have nowhere to go.”

How have the insights been used/shared?

The insights have been used to provide a clearer understanding of residents lived experiences with the Household Support Fund, informing ongoing planning and decision making within Public Health and partner organisations.

Contact

qualitativeinsightteam@wirral.gov.uk