IN May the Government added an additional £500million to the Household Support Fund.
The fund was also extended until March 2023 to help the country’s vulnerable households.
The Household Support Fund helps low income Brits pay their way with free cash and vouchers
But what is it, and how do you apply for the help? We explain all you need to know.
What is the Household Support Fund?
The Household Support Fund was launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid a 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.
The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.
But 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.
The Sun has spotted some councils are offering hundreds of pounds in cash and vouchers in some cases.
Families who live in Shropshire can get £180 in vouchers to help with food and essentials.
Redcar and Cleveland Council has revealed that thousands of households can get up to £200 direct into their accounts.
While families could get £300 in vouchers that can be put towards paying off bills if they live in York.
How do you apply?
To get the help, you’ll need to check with your local 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 for the 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 that the eligibility requirements to access the fund could also vary – it’s best to check with your local council for more details.
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 its best to ring them up and ask for more information.