Hundreds of struggling households living in Reading may be eligible for a free £200 cost of living voucher this winter.
The money is available from Reading Borough Council as part of the Household Support Fund, which is scheme that provides funding for local authorities to help residents that are on low incomes or behind on bills. Each council gets to decide what support to give, and who gets it.
This means the support can vary massively depending on where you live, but it normally comes in the form of one-off cash payments that don't need to be paid back, or vouchers for food or energy. You should contact your local council if you're struggling to see what help it can provide.
Reading Borough Council is offering a £200 voucher to those who live in Reading to those who are of state pension age and in receipt of a Council Tax Reduction or Housing Benefit, but are not eligible for Pension Credit. The council will send the vouchers to everyone who is eligible from December.
The vouchers will then need to be cashed in at the Post Office by February 10, 2025. It comes after the Winter Fuel Payment was axed for around ten million pensioners this year. Other households that are eligible for support include care leavers, and those that receive free school meals. These households will be sent a voucher worth £125.
If you're not a Reader resident, it is worth checking the website of your local council to see what help it could potentially offer you. For example, Blackpool Council is giving payments of up to £300 to households who are struggling to cover energy or water costs.
The money will be paid directly to your supplier and will appear as a credit on your bill or prepay meter. According to the council's website, households of one or two people can get a £200 payment, while households of three or more are able to claim £300.
Ealing Council in London is giving supermarket vouchers to households with children who are eligible for free school meals Households will get £15 per child in October 2024 and February 2024, and £30 per child in December 2023 and March 2024.
Households who get Housing Benefit or a Council Tax reduction with children under the age of five will also get these vouchers. Care leavers in Ealing will also be receiving supermarket vouchers over the next few months, with £100 being paid in October, December, February, and March.
The Household Support Fund will now run until April 2025, after it was extended again with an additional £421million of funding for vulnerable households across the nation. Keep an eye on updates on the website of your local council in case new support becomes available before the scheme ends.