The support comes from the Government’s Households Support Fund, this gives local councils funding which they can then use to provide cost of living support to households struggling in their area
Struggling Households will start receiving cost of living vouchers worth up to £70 from next month.
The support comes from the Government’s Households Support Fund. This scheme gives local councils funding which they can then use to provide cost of living support to households struggling in their area. Each local authority decides what help they are offering and this can include things such as free cash payments and energy or supermarket vouchers.
Middlesborough Council is giving out vouchers which can be used to go towards energy bills, supermarket shops, and Council Tax. The help is being provided to a range of households with some having to put in claims while others will receive the vouchers automatically.
If you’re eligible, you can get a voucher worth £37.50 if you are single or £50 if you are in a couple. If there are any children in the household, Middlesborough Council will pay a voucher of £70 per child rather than the previous amounts. So if you are in a couple with no children, you could get £50. However, if you are in a couple and have two children you could get £140.
Households can claim the vouchers whether or not they claim benefits. If you do not claim anything, then to be eligible you will need to have an income of £30,000 or less if you are single, or £50,000 or less if you are in a couple. You must also have less than £6,000 in savings. Applications for the vouchers for those who do not claim benefits are open now and you can put in a claim through the Council’s website. Households who claim benefits and do not have children will also need to make a claim.
If you claim benefits and have children, then you will receive automatic payments from early July and you will automatically get £70 for each child you have. The vouchers aim to be sent out between July 1 and July 12.
Pensioner households will also receive a letter towards the end of June about their entitlement. If you are a pensioner, you will be eligible if you are of state pension age, and get the guarantee element of Pension Credit or receive a Council Tax reduction. Again, your payment will be made automatically in August.
The Household Support Fund was initially launched in October 2021, and in the spring budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the scheme again by another six months until September 2024, giving it an extra £500million in funding. Since its launch, it has been given around £3billion from the central Government.
Support offered through the Households Support Fund scheme usually consists of free cash payments, supermarket and energy vouchers, and extra Council Tax support. Local councils are currently announcing what help they will be offering over the coming few months. To find out what this is you should go to your local council’s website.
