Households have just DAYS left to claim £100 free cost of living vouchers for food and energy bills
HOUSEHOLDS have just days left to claim a £100 free cost-of-living voucher to help with the cost of food and energy.
The cash comes from the Household Support Fund (HSF) and the latest funding period is coming to an end - so you need to act now if you've not made a claim.
The HSF is a pot of £421million, which has been shared between councils in England to support those in need of financial support.
Local authorities decide how to distribute their share of the fund, and how much you can claim is a postcode lottery.
The latest scheme had been launched in October 2024 so some areas are already running out of funding, but in others households can still make claims.
Those living in Kent have until 5pm on Friday March 7 to submit a claim to receive a £100 voucher that can be used to cover food or energy costs.
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To be eligible Kent residents must be aged over 16 with a household income of less than £40,000 a year and less than £1,000 in savings.
Successful applicants will receive a £100 voucher via email, which can be redeemed online to cover food or energy costs.
The Household Support Fund officially closes at the end of March and Kent is not the only council still accepting applications.
Eligibility criteria varies depending on where you live, but in most cases you will receive help if you're on benefits, a low income or classed as vulnerable.
Solihull has said its fund will remain open until the end of March, with grants worth hundreds of pounds up for grabs.
The council is offering energy vouchers worth up to £147, or even energy debt support of up to £500.
Camden council in London will also be accepting applications up until March 31 and is offering struggling families £500 grants to help with the cost of living.
However, other councils, including Doncaster, have already closed their schemes.
Councils in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have also been given £79million between them to distribute to residents in need, so wherever you live in the UK it's worth checking what's available in your local area.
What is the Household Support Fund?
Households in need can claim support to help with the cost of living via the Household Support Fund.
The funding is supplied from a £421million pot by the Department for Work and Pensions.
It was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times.
Councils up and down the country get a portion of the cash to allocate to vulnerable households.
Get in touch with your local council to see if you might be eligible for help.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government's council locator tool on its website.
The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.
But you may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover costs of your weekly grocery shop.
If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.
You also do not need to be getting 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.
It has not yet been confirmed if a new round of founding will be provided following the closure of the current scheme.
Other help you can claim
If you're not eligible for the Household Support Fund, you might qualify for other forms of help to cover energy bills or food.
Several energy firms offer grants to households who are struggling to pay their energy bills worth up to £2,000.
This includes British Gas, Octopus Energy and EDF.
New parents might also be eligible for free food worth up to £442 a year to cover the cost of healthy food and milk via the Healthy Start scheme.
Or, you can get an emergency food parcel from a Trussell Trust food bank.
You can find your nearest via www.trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
To get a food parcel, you need a voucher from a community organisation like Citizens Advice or your GP. You can then exchange this voucher for a food parcel at the food bank.
It's also worth checking if you're eligible for benefits if you haven't already - billions of pounds worth is going unclaimed, according to Policy in Practice.
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There are three free calculators you can use to see what you might be entitled to:
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 £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.
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