Struggling families, pensioners, and disabled residents in Wakefield, West Yorkshire, will soon receive the vouchers, which are handed out from the Household Support Fund (HSF).
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The £75 vouchers, that can be used in major retailers including Asda, Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons, are issued to households that receive Council Tax Support.
Wakefield Council has confirmed the exact dates the vouchers will be issued – and said they will take up to seven days to be delivered to people’s homes.
For pensioners, the vouchers will be issued between June 3 and June 12, the council said.
Vouchers for disabled residents will be issued from June 17 to June 24.
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For all other households in receipt of Council Tax Support, except families, vouchers will be issued on June 28.
And for families with at least one child, the vouchers will be issued on July 18, Wakefield Council confirmed.
The council added that pensioners and disabled residents who have children will not receive their vouchers in July, but in July, alongside other families.
Eligible households don’t need to apply for these vouchers as they are issued automatically, the council explained on its website.
When vouchers are delivered, residents will also receive information on how to use them.
And the amount doesn’t need to be spent all at once but can be used several times until you reach £75.
The support is dished from a pot worth £421million by the Department for Work and Pensions.
In the case of Wakefield Council you can apply for HSF if you:
- live in the Wakefield district
- are over the age of 16 and not living with family or friends
- are responsible for the rent/mortgage and other bills for your home
- don’t have sufficient money to pay your essential bills
- are on a low income
- if you have no recourse to public funds, you are still eligible to apply
You cannot apply if you have savings over the value of £6,000 – and will need to prove that you have an amount lower than that figure in your bank account.
Each eligible resident or household can only make one application.
What you can get with the HSF depends on where you live but the money could be a direct cash transfer or shopping vouchers.
Amounts vary and it is up to the local council as to how the money is distributed.
The fund is usually given out based on your financial circumstances and which benefits you receive.
It’s designed to help the most hard-up families struggling with the cost of living crisis.
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.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The HSF was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times.
The latest round of funding is worth £421 million to councils in England so that they could help struggling household.
Who qualifies is a postcode lottery too, as each local authority can set its own eligibility criteria.
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.
The HSF was recently extended in the Government’s Spring Budget until September and some councils have already opened for applications.
For example, Medway Council in Kent, South-East England, is offering thousands of households supermarket vouchers worth up to £225.
Some could qualify for electronic energy cards or e-vouchers to cover water bills worth £100 too.
In Cambridgeshire, residents in need of support can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.
Even better, residents can apply twice for support between 1 April and September 30 this year, meaning each household could be in line to receive as much as £220.
The funds can be paid in a lump sum of £110 into your bank account, or split between different types of vouchers.
You should 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 the costs of your weekly grocery shop.
If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.
And you don’t 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.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us’ benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto’s free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto’s data.
You can use Policy in Practice’s calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you’ll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
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 the funding on its website.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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