Cost of living vouchers worth up to £75 on offer - see if you are eligible

Households across the UK could receive vouchers worth up to £75 to help with the cost of living. The vouchers could include supermarket coupons.

The support is provided through the Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme, which has been extended until September. Each council gets a portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need

People eligible for the support usually need to be on a low income. Some councils make payouts automatically, while others require people to fill in an application form.

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The exact amount you can get will depend on where you live so you should check with your council, The Sun reports. For example, in West Sussex, vouchers can be used in Aldi, Asda, B&M, Iceland, M&S, Tesco and Sainsbury's.

Homes with one or more adults, or those with one child, can get vouchers worth £50. Families with two or more children could receive £75.

The council needs 'evidence of hardship' as part of the application process. The program was triggered by the rising cost of living, including energy, food and essential bills.

What is the Household Support Fund?

The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help households amid the cost of living crisis. Councils got a slice of the £500million funding available.

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. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.

Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the fund for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.

What help can I get?

Councils get a portion of the cash to allocate to vulnerable households. For example, Medway Council in Kent, is offering thousands of households supermarket vouchers worth up to £225.

Some people could qualify for electronic energy cards or e-vouchers to cover water bills worth £100 too. Households in Herefordshire can get up to £500 depending on their circumstances and level of need.

The help you can get varies depending on your local council is and personal circumstances. 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 fund. You do not need to be getting benefits to be eligible.

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.

How do I apply?

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 the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary so it's best to check with your local council for more details. Some councils will not require you to apply for the help and they will contact you about it instead if you qualify.

If you cannot find any information on your council's website, you should contact them for help.