Thousands of struggling families being handed £90 in supermarket vouchers – check if you’re one of them
THOUSANDS of struggling families can claim up to £90 in supermarket vouchers following the extension of support funds.
The government confirmed that the Household Support Fund (HSF) has been extended to September 30.
Children in Lincolnshire can claim a £90 supermarket voucher for benefits related to free school meals.
The vouchers can be used in Asda, Sainsbury’s, Morrisons or Tesco.
Households in North East Lincolnshire who need help paying for food and bills will be eligible for the scheme.
The maximum payment available to each household is £250.
It is set to be administered via a vouchers portal called, WONDE E, between July 8-18.
To receive a payment, households need to provide evidence that they don’t generate enough income to afford essential items.
These include utility bills, food and other basic items.
Households that can prove their income is less than £20,000, and that they have less than £500 in savings will be eligible for the HSF.
A spokesperson, for North East Lincolnshire Council told The Sun: “Our Household Support Fund application by referral scheme offers payments of up to £250 to residents most in need of support with things like household bills, food and energy costs.
“Where eligible, people will receive a letter with a barcode, which they can take to any Post Office with an acceptable form of identification to redeem the money.
“The payment amount will vary based on individual circumstances, and people applying will need a referral from an approved organisation.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
THE Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended for a second time in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a third time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
“Payment to families with children in receipt of free school meals alone will reach 8000 beneficiaries.”
It comes after the government extended another scheme which allows struggling families to claim up to £500 free cash.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
Households could get supermarket vouchers or cash grants worth up to £500.
But the exact amount you can get will depend on where you live, so you’ll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
Some councils will make payouts automatically and others will require you to fill in an application form.
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.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply for funding on its website.
Each council will have a different application process – so exact details on how to apply will vary depending on where you live.
That means that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary – it’s best to check with your local council for more details.
Thousands of households can now apply for up to £300 free cash – here’s how.
And millions of hard-up households will get extra help from the extension of a huge free cash fund later this year.
What's on offer from five different councils right now
Cornwall Council
Cornwall Council has secured a further £4.5 million pounds from the DWP.
Here’s what you can get:
- £80 payment to pensioners in receipt of pension credit
- £80 payment to adults assessed receiving care
- £80 payment per child for families receiving council tax support on June 3, 2024
- £80 payment per child for families living in emergency accommodation on June 3, 2024
Coventry City Council
Households who find themselves in financial difficulty can apply for a range of support:
- £120 to single people or childless couples to help with energy and water bills
- £140 to families to help with energy and water bills
- £25 worth of food parcels
- Household appliances and furniture
- £95 per adult and £60 per child in clothes vouchers
- £20 to single person or childless couple in toiletries vouches
- £30 to families in toiletries vouches
Ealing Council
Ealing has been allocated £2.6M to support low-income families between now and the end of September 2024.
All of the following supermarket vouchers will be provided by the council’s partner, Blackhawk.
- £105 to families claiming benefits related free school meals in supermarket vouchers
- £105 to families with children under the age of five who get Housing Benefit or council tax reduction
- £105 to care leavers in supermarket vouchers
If you are eligible, you do not need to apply for the vouchers.
Hartlepool Borough Council
The majority of Hartlepool’s HSF funding is targeted at children and pensioners in low-income households.
The funding is allocated to these two groups in the form of shopping vouchers for food or in some cases as a bank payment.
Eligible households could get:
- £60 shopping vouchers per child in receipt of free school meals
- £60 shopping vouchers to low-income pensioners
Herefordshire Council
Households in Herefordshire can get up to £500 depending on their circumstances and level of need.
The Council said it is available for “the most vulnerable households”.
Eligible households could get access to the following:
- £500 cash grants through the Herefordshire Community Foundation Fuel Poverty Fund
- £250 cash grants for individuals that use ‘high energy’ use medical equipment
Parents may also be able to get a one-off emergency payment voucher of £75.