THOUSANDS of households can apply for a free £270 supermarket voucher to help with cost of living bills.

Those in need of that extra cash must pay attention to the application deadline, which is just in a few weeks.

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Councils have been sharing their local scheme’s criteria for the government’s Household Support Fund, which was renewed for the fifth time in April.

The scheme will assist households most vulnerable to major increases in the cost of living.

It works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.

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

The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.

Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole (BCP) is one of the many councils that have shared their eligibility criteria for the scheme.

Those interested in getting the cash voucher must live in the BCP Council area, be over the age of 16 and living independently of parents or carers.

Eligible applicants must also be struggling to pay for essentials because they don’t have enough money to pay for them.

Anyone wanting to apply can do so via the Citizens Advice BCP website, which will manage and allocate this fund on behalf of BCP Council.

You will need to provide evidence of residency in the BCP Council area and a form of ID such as a Drivers Licence or passport.

You will also have to include a summary for every person in your household not in full-time education, as well as your proof of income, such as a recent bank statement.

Make sure to submit your application on time, as it will only be accepted until Friday, August 16 2024, at midnight.

Grant vouchers are only issued to the listed applicant or the person designated by them to receive vouchers on their behalf.

Those with sufficient savings or income may not fit the criteria for ‘struggling to afford household essentials’.

There is a strong demand for the HSF grant, and applications may take up to eight weeks to process, so it’s best to constantly check your email and junk/spam folders not to miss an update.

BCP Council also said: “Please keep in mind that we cannot guarantee that you will receive the grant and your application may be rejected due to lack of funds.

“While we try to support as many applicants as possible, the funds are limited compared to number of applications we receive.”

What if I don’t live in Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole?

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 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.

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 are other councils offering?

Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.

Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.

Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.

Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.

Middlesborough is awarding hard-up families up to £70.

Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.

And in Tower Hamlets, households can get a free £100 cost of living payment to help with key household bills.