Families have just weeks to claim supermarket cost of living vouchers and free cash worth up to £225

HARD-pressed families are being urged to check if they're eligible for vital support as application deadlines loom.

Councils across England are distributing grants and vouchers worth up to £225 to help cover essential food and energy costs. 

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This funding is part of the government's £421million Household Support Fund (HSF) initiative, designed to provide targeted relief to those most in need. 

Each local authority gets a different proportion of cash depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.

This means the voucher or grants on offer will vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.

While the latest funding for the scheme is set to end on March 31, a handful councils are already closing their applications within weeks.

For example, those living in North Yorkshire have until February 13 to apply for supermarket vouchers worth £150.

Other deadlines will closely follow.

We've rounded up the nine councils set on closing their applications for the scheme in February.

If you live in any of these areas, it's vital to act quickly to ensure you don't miss out on this crucial support.

North Yorkshire Council - February 13

North Yorkshire Council is dishing out e-vouchers worth £150 to thousands of households that can be spent at nine retailers.

Everyone who is eligible should have received a letter by January 21.

This letter includes information about how to claim and use the e-voucher.

You will be eligible if you were getting the maximum discount to pay your council tax bill through the means-tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme as of December 1, 2024.

You will not be eligible for the Household Support Fund if you only get the 25% single person council tax discount for households where only one adult is living in the property.

People who are eligible will get a single Household Support Fund e-voucher payment to pay for food and other essentials over the coming months.

Those eligible will be able to choose from nine different supermarkets: Aldi, ASDA, Farmfoods, Iceland, Marks and Spencer, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and Waitrose.

Only ASDA, Marks and Spencer, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose offer both in-store and online shopping.

You must redeem the code in your letter to access your vouchers by visiting northyorks.select-essentials.co.uk before February 13.

BCP Council - February 21

Citizens Advice Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) manages the Household Support Fund (HSF) on the councils behalf.

Struggling families can apply for household grants to help with food and fuel bills.

To qualify for the Household Support Fund (HSF), you:

• Must live in the BCP Council area
• Over the age of 16 and living independently of parents or carers
• Do not have the money to pay for essentials
• Can provide the required proof of your identity, BCP Council residency and household financial information, including a summary for every person in your household not in full-time education.
• You may also be required to provide proof of income, such as a recent bank statement

Applications close for good on February 21.

In the meantime customers can find out more about the help available by visiting citizensadvicebcp.org.uk/projects/household-support-fund.

Bedford Council - February 28

Bedford Council is currently taking applications for struggling pension-age customers, as well as households with families.

If you're over the state pension age and in receipt of council tax support, you can apply for a free £150 grant paid directly into your bank account.

The council is also accepting applications from households where the council tax payer is of working age, dependent children are included in the household, and are in receipt of a council tax support claim.

These households can also apply for a £150 cash grant, paid directly into their bank accounts.

The deadline to apply for both forms of funding is February 28.

To find out more, visit bedford.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/grants-and-funding/household-support-fund-2024-25.

Calderdale Council - February 28

Calderdale Council has revealed that applications for its HSF will close on February 28.

If you receive council tax reduction based upon your income, you can apply for one of these payments:

• Households with children: £100
• Households with known disability: £100.
• Singles/couples with no children or disability: £50

For households with children and a known disability, only one payment of £100 can be awarded.

To find out more, visit new.calderdale.gov.uk/benefits/hsf.

Canterbury Council - February 28

Bedford Council is currently taking applications for struggling pension-age customers, as well as other households with and without children.

To apply for a payment, you must:

• Live in the Canterbury district and be 16 or over (including university students)
• Have a total household income of £40,000 or less - this includes any money from employment or benefits
• Have no more than £500 in savings and not have access to any other money to support your situation

Single parents or couples with no children can get a free cash grant worth £100.

Those with children can get £150 and those over the state pension age can get £200.

You must apply for the support by visiting canterbury.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/apply-household-support-fund-payment before February 28.

Doncaster Council - February 28

The City of Doncaster Council has decided to provide a one-off payment to households who receive any of the following;

• Housing benefit
• Local council tax reduction,
• Universal Credit which includes the housing element
• Means-tested free school meals

A one-off payment will be made to those who make an application and who meet the eligibility criteria above:

Working-age households can get:

• £75 payment to childless households
• £150 payment to households with one or two dependent children
• £225 payment to households with three or more dependent children.

And pensioner households can apply for the following:

• £50 payment to households receiving, or are entitled to pension credit
• £150 payment to households not receiving and not entitled to pension credit.

Applications will close Friday February 28, at 5pm.

You can apply for the help by visiting doncaster.gov.uk/services/council-tax-benefits/household-support-fund.

Leicester City Council - February 28

The HSF from Leicester City Council helps households with food and energy bills.

The council will look at the information in your application to see what support you need on a case-by-case basis.

If your application is successful, your award will be issued as a Post Office Payout voucher.

This can be redeemed for cash at your nearest Post Office to help pay for your gas and electricity bills.

To find out more about the scheme, visit leicester.gov.uk/your-community/benefits-and-other-support/household-support-fund/.

Portsmouth Council - February 28

If you have children aged 0-19 that do not qualify for benefits-related free school meals, or someone in your household is over 20 weeks pregnant and you have a low income, you may be eligible to apply for Portsmouth Council's Family Voucher Scheme.

The scheme is also open to:

• Children attending school outside of Portsmouth
• Home educated children
• Children in early years settings
• Children in full time further education

Eligible families will receive one £50 supermarket voucher per child.

Households must submit their applications online by 12 noon on February 28, by visiting portsmouth.gov.uk/services/benefits-and-support/help-and-support/money-advice/household-support-fund/.

Stockton-on-Tees Council - February 28

Households that are eligible for council tax reduction should have received an £80 voucher from Stockton-on-Tees Council.

These vouchers are exchangeable for money, which can be used to help pay for energy and food costs.

However, to secure the cash, you must exchange the voucher at your local PayPoint outlet no later than February 28.