FAMILIES in a financial rut can grab £150 FREE cash to help with the rising cost of essential bills.
The government’s Household Support Scheme has a pot of £500million to be distributed to local councils over the UK to help vulnerable residents.
It’s no secret that thousands of families are trying to stretch wages throughout January as the weather turns colder and bills continue to rise.
For many, the spiralling price of food and gas is overwhelming and some can’t keep up with rocketing bills.
Those in this situation could benefit from this scheme, which aims to help Brits out of crisis point.
Different authorities are offering different relief, from supermarket and fuel vouchers, to cash for white goods or one-off bank payments.
Each council has been provided with a different amount of funding, meaning the amount of money available will differ from area to area, and sometimes even household to household.
To check which local authority you fall under, you can use the online local council checker tool on the government’s website.
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Sutton Council has been given £1.1million to support their local struggling residents as part of the scheme which has been running since October 2021 and is due to end March 31 2022.
But this scheme could end earlier for Sutton if the funds are exhausted sooner than March, so it’s important to apply soon if you think you may be eligible.
With this pot of money, Sutton Council is giving BACS payments of £150 to those struggling with bill payments or the cost of living.
And 3,000 low income households have already been invited to request support – these families were identified using the Low Income Family Tracker (LIFT).
Though the funding isn’t restricted to those invited.
Sutton residents who approach the council directly for the £150 payment will be awarded based on their eligibility and a needs assessment.
The money is welcome relief for Brits forced to choose between heating or eating, or other drastic measures to make money stretch.
These challenging choices come as the UK faces an energy crisis, a rise in inflation and soaring food prices, leaving millions of people cash-strapped.
Can I still get help if I don’t live in Sutton?
Yes. The £500million pot has been divvied up to local councils all over the country, meaning you could get support in your area if you fit eligibility criteria.
For example, Cheshire East is offering food vouchers of £20 per child, £40 per single adult or £60 per couple.
Rutland Council is issuing £100 payments along with school meal vouchers to cover the half terms such as the upcoming February half term.
And Hillingdon authorities are offering £100 payments to those with kids, or £60 payments to those without kids.
There is lots of other support available in different areas, we advise you contact your local council for more details.
As millions face higher energy prices, it’s worth knowing whether or not to fix your gas and electricity bills ahead of a potential £600 bill rise, warns Martin Lewis – you can read about that here.
For households in the coldest parts of the UK, you could get extra help with bills as the government plans to tackle soaring heating charges – check if this affects you.
And it’s not just bills that families could get help with, as struggling renters could apply for support from different organisations such as local councils, the Welfare Assistance Scheme or Discretionary Housing Payment.
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