THOUSANDS of households can apply for free vouchers worth £150 to spend at B&M, Tesco and Asda.
The help comes from the Household Support Fund (HSF), which is a pot worth £842million.
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The HSF is money that the Government has shared out between councils in England to help those who are most in need.
The scheme was first launched in October 2021 to help Brits pay their way through winter amid a cost of living crisis.
Each council gets to decide how to share their portion of the fund so the help available will vary depending on where you live.
Some councils are offering out food or utility bill vouchers while others are making bank transfers.
And Dorset Council is offering its residents £150 in vouchers to spend a whole host of supermarkets.
These include Asda, Aldi, B&M, Farmfoods, Iceland, M&S, Morrisons, Sainsburys, Tesco and Waitrose.
Residents will be able to apply for the vouchers from tomorrow (August 2) once the next round of funding opens.
People will qualify if they have:
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- An annual household net income of less than £30,000, and
- Savings of less than £16,000, and
- Not applied for a previous Household Support Fund payment within the last six months
If you think you’re eligible you can apply online via the Dorset Council website.
Applicants will receive the vouchers within six to eight weeks from applying.
What other help can I get?
If you aren’t eligible for help via the Household Support Fund, you might be entitled to a cost of living payment.
The Government is handing out payments to millions of people this year and into 2024. They are worth £900, £300 and £150, totalling £1,350.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be entitled to all three.
The £900 payment has been split into three instalments worth £301, £300 and £299.
The first instalment has already been made to millions of people.
The second and third instalments will be made for most people this autumn and in spring 2024 respectively.
In North Yorkshire thousands of locals received electronic supermarket vouchers worth up to £325 and the council have stated they will be delivering a fourth phase of help later this year.
Buckinghamshire council have also extended their support after receiving £4.8million for April 1, 2023 to March 31, 2024.
And some hard-up households are getting £125 cost of living payments paid directly into their bank accounts.
While elsewhere in the country thousands can apply for a £145 one-off payment to help with food and energy costs.
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