THOUSANDS of cash-strapped households could claim £350 worth of vouchers.
The vouchers can be spent at major retailers including Aldi, B&Q and Argos as part of the government's Household Support Fund.
The HSF offers help to the most hard-up households and has been extended several times since it was introduced by Government in 2021.
Funding is given to local councils to distribute, so the support available varies across the country.
But, families with children receiving free school meals may be in line to receive vouchers to help with grocery and other essential costs during the May half term and summer holiday.
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Levels of support vary depending on local council and personal situation, so it's worth checking your council's website to ensure you receive all the help available.
The £350 vouchers are available in South Ribble in Lancarshire.
Aid will be supplied in the form of vouchers, with the council expecting more than 10,000 residents to come knocking.
Support will also be geared towards broadband and phone bills, heating products that improve energy efficiency and other essentials like sanitary products, warm clothing and soap.
Costs of microwaves, small fridges and slow cookers could too be included in the helping-hand plan.
Community members facing financial hardship can also find help paying for public transport, vehicle repair and fuel.
Applicants can be awarded a limit of £300 worth of vouchers, but a concession is set to be made for single-person households which can claim an extra £50.
To be eligible, you'll need to be a South Ribble resident and be faced with financial hardship tough enough that you can't account for immediate needs.
Residents can apply to snare support more than once, but the second application has be made after a three-month period.
The council warns the funding is strictly for those struggling.
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Evidence, like proof of income, may be required, while the council may ever send a worker out to homes to assess that household's needs.
Residents don't need to be on benefits to apply.
The support is slated to flow until September 15 unless the £300,000 budget is blown before then.
To qualify, households need to show their income is less than £31,000 with no more than £5,000 in savings.
Outside of that, those receiving means-tested benefits or those that have a "declaration" of issues - by either the council or social worker - may also apply.
Councillor Paul Foster said: "I am so pleased that we can approve this excellent delivery plan to help those low-income families and individuals in our communities.
“We know that many people in South Ribble are still feeling the effects of the rising cost-of-living and through the process of developing this plan, working with partners, we have identified key areas of the borough where we know our people need additional support."
The vouchers can be activated through a platform called Huggg, which opens access to retailers including Aldi, B&Q and Argos.
Cash vouchers could also be provided "on exception".
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund (HSF) was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times, to September 2024.
The latest round of funding is worth £421million to councils in England.
Who qualifies and the level of support given is a postcode lottery, as each local authority can set its own criteria for distributing the funds.
However, if you have a limited amount of money or savings in the bank, are classed as vulnerable or are on benefits, you will likely qualify for help.
What support is available
The support provided varies from council to council, so its worth checking the schemes your local council has in place to make sure you receive all the assistance available.
For example, in Hertfordshire funds have also been made available to support households on low incomes facing immediate financial crisis, provide help with energy costs and support food banks.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government's council locator tool on its website.
You don't need to worry about additional support impacting existing benefits, as these will be unaffected by payments from the HSF.
And, you do not need necessarily need to be in receipt of benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.
Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.
How do you apply?
To get the help, you'll need to check with your council - 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.
Many councils won't actually require you to apply for the help and will contact you about it, or issue vouchers via email or your child's school.
As well as supermarket vouchers, you could qualify for electronic energy cards or e-vouchers to help with water bills.
If there's no information on your council's website, then it's best to ring them up and ask for more information.
THERE are plenty of ways to save on your grocery shop.
You can look out for yellow or red stickers on products, which show when they've been reduced.
If the food is fresh, you'll have to eat it quickly or freeze it for another time.
Making a list should also save you money, as you'll be less likely to make any rash purchases when you get to the supermarket.
Going own brand can be one easy way to save hundreds of pounds a year on your food bills too.
This means ditching "finest" or "luxury" products and instead going for "own" or value" type of lines.
Plenty of supermarkets run wonky veg and fruit schemes where you can get cheap prices if they're misshapen or imperfect.
For example, Lidl runs its Waste Not scheme, offering boxes of 5kg of fruit and vegetables for just £1.50.
If you're on a low income and a parent, you may be able to get up to £442 a year in Healthy Start vouchers to use at the supermarket too.
Plus, many councils offer supermarket vouchers as part of the Household Support Fund.
