Food vouchers will make their way to email where a code can be exchanged for a voucher (Image: Getty)
Households in need of extra financial help to help with rising and are being urged to make sure they get council funded support where available including vouchers for Tesco, Sainsbury’s, B&M and Aldi among others.
The main scheme is the and helps with essential costs for energy and water bills, food and essential items with different support from different areas.
Families can also get food vouchers to help with the cost of school holidays. The fund is aimed at anyone who’s vulnerable or cannot pay for essentials, and payouts are made until March or until the local council’s fund runs out.
You do not have to be getting benefits to get help from your local council to receive a payment from a Household Support Fund scheme.
In October last year, the government extended the fund, releasing £421 million to be distributed among councils, payments vary by which area you live in.
Local authorities each decide how to run their schemes separately. There may be differences in eligibility criteria, if or how you need to apply and who money is given to.
For example, some councils share out money through local charities and community groups, and some limit household applications to one per year.
to find out what support is available.
Cambrideshire County Council offers vouchers totalling £110 per household and the award can be paid in one lump sum to you or, split into your choice of different vouchers.
It can include as Paypoint Cashout voucher – a code sent to your mobile number and redeemable at any PayPoint site.
Or a supermarket voucher – sent by email to be redeemed at any of the following supermarkets: Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco.
Kent County Coucil offers the same scheme with around with vouchers to the value of £100 which can be redeemed towards food, energy or both.
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Other councils may offer more help depending on their funding. For example, Rotherham Council is offering £250 grants while Newcastle Council has been awarded £2.9million
Sandwell Council has also been allocated more than £3.4million for the period up to March 2025 to help struggling families.
The council is using the funds to give 4,000 low-income pensioners a £200 payment.
It says: “This funding will help us to support people in Sandwell most affected during these difficult times.
“This includes: a £200 payment for nearly 4,000 pensioners on low incomes who won’t receive a (those who receive Council Tax reduction but not Pension Credit).
“This payment will be sent to eligible households in a letter from the end of December that can be cashed at a Post Office.”