Support and Funding from Cardiff Council

Helping Residents Improve Financial Wellbeing, Skills, and Community Life

Cardiff Council provides a wide array of support to help residents manage household expenses, improve housing, access essentials, and develop community and voluntary initiatives. Whether you need help with council tax, rent, furniture, or energy, here’s what’s available:

Low-income households can apply for Council Tax Reduction to reduce their bill based on income and household circumstances. You can apply or manage your claim online through the Council’s website.

If your Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing element doesn’t cover your rent, you can apply for a DHP for short‑term support. It covers things like bedroom tax effects, benefit cap shortfalls, or disability needs.

This Welsh Government–backed fund provides:

• Individual Assistance Payments: help to buy essential white goods and furniture when you’re setting up home.
• Emergency Assistance Payments: for urgent essentials like food, energy, clothing or travel while awaiting Universal Credit.

You can seek help applying via Cardiff’s Money Advice Team at 029 2087 1071.

Run by the Money Advice Service, this fund supports residents facing severe hardship who have exhausted other options. It covers essentials such as fuel, repairs, white goods, furniture, and digital access. Applicants receive budgeting and benefits support alongside the grant.

Cardiff’s hubs can provide:

• Food bank vouchers.
• Fuel top-up vouchers for prepayment meters.
• Emergency cash and goods support (via DAF and local partners).
  

Household & Energy Bills Support

Support includes:

• Winter Fuel Payment (£200–£300) and Cold Weather Payment (£25 per 7 days of cold) for older or benefit‑claiming residents.
• Warm Home Discount: £150 off energy bill automatically if eligible.
• ECO4 Energy Efficiency Scheme: Cardiff residents may also benefit from ECO4, a government-backed scheme that helps improve energy efficiency in homes of low-income or fuel-poor households. Upgrades may include insulation, first-time central heating, or low-carbon heating systems. Use our eligibility checker to find out if you may qualify, and we’ll handle the rest.
• Energy advice services via Money Advice, Citizens Advice, Warm Wales, Energy Saving Trust, Care & Repair, and help with water bills via Welsh Water.

Call the Money Advice Team at 029 2087 1071 or email advicehub@cardiff.gov.uk. 

Owners of properties empty for 6+ months can apply for the Welsh Government–backed “Houses into Homes” interest-free loans up to £25,000 per property (max £150,000 per applicant), requiring 80 % loan-to-value security. Use can be for refurbishment or conversion.

Additionally, the council offers leasing and renting schemes, buy-back options, and support for landlords via these programmes.

Voluntary-sector community organisations can apply for grants to improve community buildings (e.g., halls, centres). Grants are up to £10,000, with applicants required to match at least 15 %, and must complete projects by Feb 2026.

• Maximising Your Income: Money Advice teams help residents claim all eligible benefits, grants, water/energy discounts, and support with appeals.
• Second-hand Essentials: Many local charities and hostels support people moving into new homes with furniture and white goods (DAF can help).
• Advice Centres: Organisations like Riverside Advice Cardiff (029 2034 1577) and other community hubs provide housing, debt, and welfare support.

• Council Tax & DHP: counciltax‑reduction / discretionary‑housing‑payments pages.
• DAF & Emergency Funds: Discretionary Assistance Fund page.
• Energy/Cost‑of‑living advice: Household-and‑energy‑bills page or Money Advice Team.
• Empty Homes & Loans: Houses-into-Homes and Private Rented Sector schemes.
• Community Building Grants: Cardiff Community Building Grants site.

Visit your local Advice Hub or Library Hub for in-person support, phone the Money Advice Line on 029 2087 1071, or email advicehub@cardiff.gov.uk.

Cardiff Council offers comprehensive support to tackle immediate financial hardship and foster long-term community resilience—from council tax help and emergency grants to housing loans and community building funds. If you’re facing pressure or aiming to improve your home or community, it’s worth exploring these options and seeking personalised guidance.