THOUSANDS of families across the UK can claim a lifeline to ease the pressure on the cost of living through a government scheme.
The Household Support Fund (HSF) is set to provide thousands of families with free £50 supermarket vouchers to be spent at Asda, Tesco, Iceland and Aldi.
It’s aimed at anyone who’s vulnerable or struggling to afford the basics and you don't have to be on benefits.
If you do receive benefits, don't worry – your payments won’t be affected.
Funding targets those on low incomes or with limited savings. Every council in the UK has received a slice of the pie, and what you get depends on where you live. Let’s break it down:
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Wyre council £50 vouchers
Wyre Council offering families £50 worth of supermarket shopping vouchers and support.
The council has told The Sun it has already given out 2500 payments.
You can apply for a HSF payment if:
- you live in Wyre and are a council tax payer; and
- you are responsible for the payment of the household energy bills in respect of your home; and
- you have less than £16,000 in savings.
- you have not already received an award from the HSF5 fund
and you are a couple or single adult with dependent children in respect of whom you receive child benefit, with a total annual income below £40,000 for a single adult and £52,000 for a couple.
Or you are a couple or single adult with no dependent children and your total annual gross household income is below £25,000 for a single adult and £30,000 for a couple.
Which other areas are offering support?
Leicestershire
Families in Leicestershire can bag a financial award of £300 per household. You’ll get vouchers for gas, electricity, and food.
You can even redeem your vouchers for a Post Office pay out.
E-vouchers for food can also be converted online into a gift card for top supermarkets like Aldi, Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and more.
You can apply if you:
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- Live in Leicestershire
- Are on a low income with limited savings
- Apply online from Monday, July 1 through the council’s website
Hertfordshire
Hertfordshire families can get a £60 voucher for the summer holidays. Plus, there’s help for food banks, energy support, and services for the homeless and domestic abuse survivors.
Care leavers over 19 are in for a £50 voucher treat.
Ealing
With a whopping £2.6 million allocated, Ealing’s dishing out supermarket vouchers through their partner, Blackhawk.
Those receiving benefits-related free school meals can claim up to That’s £90 per child in July.
Kids under five can mean you can claim £90 per household if you receive housing benefit or council tax reduction.
Care leavers can also claim £100 per person.
There's no application needed, eligible families will get an email or letter with a 16-digit code to redeem the vouchers online.
Hartlepool
Focusing on children and pensioners, Hartlepool hands out £60 shopping vouchers per child on free school meals and the same amount to low-income pensioners.
No need to apply – it’s all automatic.
Medway
Medway’s support comes in the form of supermarket vouchers ranging from £65 for single-person households to £225 for families of six or more.
Vouchers will be emailed, ready to claim as digital gift codes.
If you don't live in these areas and are feeling the pinch, don’t suffer in silence.
The Household Support Fund is here to help you get back on your feet.
Hit up your local council’s website and see what you’re eligible for - as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
Information on how to apply for the funding should be published on your council's website. Each council will have a different application process.
If there's no information on your council's website, then it's best to ring them up and ask for more information.
Meanwhile, with the ever-rising inflation driving up the price of groceries, many families are struggling to keep up with costs.
Luckily we share five secrets to getting your groceries for less.
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