Hard-up households in England can get up to £500 in free cash sent directly to their bank accounts this month, while others can grab supermarket vouchers worth hundreds of pounds. This is by taking advantage of the Household Support Fund, which the government extended till March 2024 earlier this year.
The £842million Household Support Fund is a pot of cash provided by the Government and distributed by local councils to help with the cost of living. Each local authority gets to decide what support it offers its residents - and who is eligible for the help.
As the vouchers or grants on offer vary by location you'll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you. For example, Cornwall Council residents are able to claim up to £160 in cash instalments to go toward rising bills, while Torbay offers up to £500.
Cheshire East Council can give struggling households up to £160 worth of food vouchers, as well as £100 to help with the cost of energy. Warrington Council is paying eligible families £190 in instalments throughout the next year while the scheme is still active.
To find out what support is on offer near you, get in touch with your local council or check their website. Enter your postcode by using this link to see who your local authority is.
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Each council website should have a dedicated page set up with details of its Household Support Fund. The Government has so far allocated more than £2billion to the scheme since it first started in October 2021. The Household Support Fund will now run until March 31 next year.
