Thousands of families to get letters on doormats NOW with £125 cost of living vouchers
THOUSANDS of families are set to receive letters notifying them of their eligibility to get a free £125 cost of living voucher.
The cash support comes through the government’s Household Support Fund.
Low-income households in Reading can now apply for financial support from the Council.
An estimated 3,850 families on free school meals and 260 local care leavers will receive cost-of-living vouchers.
The Council already has the addresses of eligible residents and vouchers will be sent out by post.
Households will have until the end of August to cash the vouchers at a Post office.
You can locate yours by visiting here.
If you’re not eligible for the automatic support above, you can still make an application for a £125 cash grant directly into your bank account.
Households in receipt of means-tested benefits or other related state benefits (such as a PIP) are automatically assumed to have a low income.
For residents who aren’t receiving any income-based or other state benefits but have specific circumstances that have negatively impacted their overall cost of living (such as unexpected or increased expenditures), a high-level income, expenditure, and savings assessment will be conducted within the application.
Applicants with savings above £2000 will not be eligible for a discretionary payment.
Support will be prioritised to households who fall into one or more of the following categories:
- Residents above state pension age
- Carers
- People with disabilities
- People living alone
- Residents with unsecure employment
- Large households
- People with energy-inefficient homes
- Households with prepayment energy meters
- Residents in private rented accommodation
- Victims of crime
- Veterans
To apply for the discretionary support visit here.
The scheme works by handing councils up and down the country a slice of funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
size of the catchment area, population, and number of vulnerable households.
The voucher or grant amounts vary by location, so you must check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
How has the Household Support Fund evolved?
THE Household Support Fund was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid the cost of living crisis.
Councils up and down the country got a slice of the £500million funding available to dish out to Brits in need.
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 with the rising cost of living.
The DWP then confirmed a fourth extension of the scheme through to March 31, 2024.
Chancellor Jeremey Hunt extended the HSF for the fifth time while delivering his Spring Budget on March 6, 2024
What if I don’t live in Reading?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your council – as local authorities are in charge of distributing the funding.
To find your local council, use the gov.uk council finder tool.
Once you’ve found your council, there should be information on how to apply 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 that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary.
Some councils won’t require you to apply for the help and they’ll contact you about it instead if you qualify.
If there’s no information on your council’s website, then it’s best to ring them up and ask for more information.
What are other councils offering?
Residents in Blackpool can receive up to £300 in support from the Household Support Fund.
Those living in Bracknell Forest could be eligible for a £315 cash grant.
Low-income households in Cambridgeshire can apply for a financial award of £110 per household.
Those living in Falkirk in receipt of a council tax reduction, housing benefit, Universal Credit, income support, jobseekers allowance or pension credit can apply for up to £470 in cash support.
Middlesborough is awarding hard-up families up to £70.
Rutland County Council will provide one payment of £200 to care leavers this month.
What energy bill help is available?
THERE'S a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you're struggling to get by.
If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.
This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.
If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.
Several energy firms have grant schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.
But eligibility criteria varies depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.
For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £1,500.
British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.
You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.
EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.
Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).
The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill, and some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.
Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.