THOUSANDS of households can get £100 free cash for food, energy bills and essentials this winter.
The help will be dished out under a new round of £421million funding given by the government to the Household Support Fund.
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Councils have been given a slice of the new pot of funding on offer, which will be given out to struggling residents to help pay for bills and essentials.
Nottinghamshire Council has revealed thousands of households will get £100, which will be given out in the form of vouchers.
You’ll need to apply for the help, the council said, and more information on eligibility criteria will be announced soon.
Make sure to keep an eye on the council’s website for updates about the scheme.
Usually, you have to be in receipt of a council tax reduction to qualify for help under the Household Support Fund.
Can I get help if I don’t live in Nottingham?
Yes – you can still get help under the Household Support Fund.
What support you can get will vary, because each council is in charge of how to spend the funding available.
Some decide to dish the help out automatically, while you’ll need to apply in other cases.
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Some councils choose to distribute funding in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you’ll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
What can I get?
Councils are currently deciding how to distribute their new round of funding.
That means, in a lot of cases, households won’t know exactly what they can get under the latest round of support just yet.
But in the last round of funding, you could get up to £500 in free cash support from some councils – like Bromsgrove and Redditch.
Residents of Effingham, near Guildford, could get up to £300 free cash to help them through the cost of living crisis.
While Lewisham Council sent payments to families with children receiving free school meals, and pensioner households if they apply for the help.
What other help can I get?
There’s plenty of other help on offer if you’re not eligible for help through the Household Support Fund.
Energy companies offer hardship funds, for example, you can get £750 from British Gas if you’re a customer.
Households on pension credit or low incomes may qualify for the warm home discount scheme worth £150.
It’s worth checking if you can get help with your food bills.
If you’re pregnant or have a child under the age of four, then you may qualify for Healthy Start vouchers to help pay for basic foods such as milk or fruit.
You can apply for free school meals for your child if you’re claiming certain benefits including Universal Credit.
