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Thousands of households on benefits qualify for one-off £40 food vouchers – are you one of them?
If you want to check if you are eligible for help, contact your local council
THOUSANDS of households struggling with the cost-of-living are in line for food vouchers worth £40 this summer.
The help comes via the latest round of the Government's Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421million.
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The pot of money has been shared between councils in England who then decide how to distribute it and who is eligible for support.
That means what you are entitled to varies depending on where you live and it can be a bit of a postcode lottery.
However, you could be in line for everything from supermarket and energy vouchers, to direct cash payments.
The Household Support Fund for those living in Hampshire has revealed that those suffering the worst will be issued food vouchers.
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Households in receipt of council tax support will receive a one-off £25 food voucher.
Meanwhile, those in receipt of housing benefit only will be able to claim a £40 food voucher.
It's important to note that these vouchers are administered by borough and district councils and not directly by Hampshire County Council.
Those who are eligible for a voucher will be contacted directly by their local council.
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Other councils have also been given funding and they may be in your area.
Hackney Council in London said it expected to hand out a range of help to thousands of households with its latest HSF amount.
Thousands of low-income households could receive a one-off £400 payment
This includes food vouchers for families with children on free school meals worth £60 per child.
That means a family with two children could get £120 to cover the cost of their food shopping this summer.
Hackney Council said households who qualify need to apply .
Hackney Council said households who qualify need to apply .
Meanwhile, Tower Hamlets Council is dishing out cost of living cash worth £100.
And Plymouth Council is handing out payments worth up to £740.
If you want to check if you are eligible for help, contact your local council.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government's council locator tool.
How else to get help with the cost of living
If you're not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it's worth checking if you qualify for benefits.
Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren't claiming the extra help when they could be.
In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.
You can apply for benefits on the Government's website.
It's not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.
Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.
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Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount - a yearly £150 discount off energy bills.
You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you've fallen into arrears.
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