Thousands of families are getting free £50 vouchers this month to help with the cost of living – do you qualify?

THOUSANDS of struggling households will get a £50 supermarket voucher this month to help with the cost of living.

The support is part of the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is a pot worth £842million.

1

The HSF is money from the government that is there to help low-income households with the rising costs of living.

The money is distributed among local councils across England who then decide how to dish out their portion of the fund.

This month households in Southend-on-Sea will receive a free supermarket voucher worth £50 to help with food costs.

The voucher will be allocated automatically so you do not need to do anything.

If you are eligible you will be notified by your child's school and a voucher will be issued to you.

In June 2023 Southend-on-Sea council issued a £50 voucher to every child who was entitled to free school meals.

The total number of vouchers issued was 8,589 and the number will likely be similar for vouchers issued in December and January.

What support you get depends on where you live as each council is different.

Some local authorities are making bank transfers while others are offering help in the way of food or utility bill vouchers.

If you are unsure who your local council is you can put your postcode into the government's council locator tool on its website.

Once you know who your local authority is you will be able to check what they are offering as it is usually posted on their website.

How can I apply?

To get help from the HSF you will need to check with your local council as they are in charge of distributing the funding.

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.

Some councils won't require you to apply for the help and they'll contact you about it instead if you qualify.

If there's no information on your council's website, then it's best to ring them up and ask for more information.

What other help can I get?

If you don't qualify for HSF there are still ways you might be able to get some help with your bills.

Several energy providers including British Gas, E.On and EDF, offer grants worth up to £1,500.

If you are struggling to keep up with payments, contact your energy supplier to see what they have on offer.

You could also be entitled to a cost of living payment of up to £1,350.

This year and into 2024 the Government is handing out payments to millions of people.

Individually the payments are worth £900, £300 and £150.

Some people may be eligible for all three which means a total of £1,350.

The £900 payment has been split into three instalments worth £301, £300 and £299.