CASH IN
Thousands to receive cost of living payments worth £130 in accounts TOMORROW – are you one?
You might be able to get some support from your energy firm too
THOUSANDS of pensioners are expected to receive £130 worth of vouchers tomorrow to help with the cost of living.
For those who need a little bit of help this time of year, the offers some assistance to low-income households.
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Those eligible for the payouts will receive the cash slips automatically, according to Wakefield Council.
These also won't affect any other benefits entitlements.
How much will I receive?
The Household Support Fund is worth £421million and aims to help with gas, electricity, and food during the winter months.
It'll be split across local authorities that will individually decide who is eligible.
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Pensioners who no longer receive the Winter Fuel Allowance (Pension Credit) will bag £130 worth of vouchers.
Those still on Pension Credit will be entitled to £80 of supermarket goodies.
They can expect to have these in their accounts between 6 and 15 November.
All other households in receipt of Council Tax Support will be offered £80 and can expect to receive their payment next month.
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Who can apply?
Wakefield Council have recently released the conditions of their eligibility scheme.
To qualify for the voucher from this council you must live in Wakefield, be over the age of 16 and not living with family or friends, be responsible for the rent, receive a low income, and have no access to other public funds.
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Recipients should expect vouchers to arrive within seven days.
Full instructions on how redeem the voucher will be included in the letter.
Once the voucher has been redeemed, it doesn’t have to be spent all at once and can be used several times until the entire amount has been spent.
What if I don't live in Wakefield?
The Household Support Fund will be accessible all around the country.
The £421million fund budget will be spread across each council but each authority will decide its own eligibility.
Not all councils have published what they plan to do with the Household Support Fund budget yet.
If you're keen to find out what support is available to you, you can contact your local council and ask if there is any help on offer.
For those unsure which council they should contact, you can find your council area by using the Government's council locator tool via
The Sun recently shared a guide and interactive map to help you find out what you may be able to claim.
Other help on offer
You might be able to get some support from your energy firm if you haven't received a Household Support Fund voucher.
For example, British Gas is handing out up to £1,700 worth of grants to UK households.
This is through the company's Individual and Families Fund and is accessible to people living in England, Scotland, and Wales - even if you're not a British Gas customer.
To be eligible to get this support you must have been given help from a money advice agency in the last six months.
You'll also need to have not received a grant from British Gas Energy in the last six months.
Other energy companies have their own support network for customers.
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These include OVO, Boost, E.On, E.On Next, EDF, Scottish Power, Octopus, Shell Energy, SSE and Utilita.
The Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £421million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
It was then extended in the 2022 Spring Budget and for a second time in October 2022 to help those on the lowest incomes with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a third extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Former chancellor Jeremy Hunt extended the HSF for the fourth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024.
In September 2024, the Government announced a fifth extension.
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