Thousands of households eligible for £225 supermarket voucher - how to apply

Struggling households can apply for supermarket vouchers

Thousands of struggling families can apply for up to £225 in vouchers to help cover food and household essentials.

The support is issued through the Household Support Fund, which is a scheme set up by the main Government to help those who are on low incomes. The money is issued to local councils, who then decide which families should benefit and how to spend the money.

Medway Council is offering supermarket vouchers, school uniform vouchers and help with paying energy. A single person who is struggling may be eligible for a £75 “food and essentials” voucher, while the biggest amount of £225 is awarded to households with six or more people.

You may also be entitled to a £100 school uniform voucher for every dependent school age child, a £100 voucher for energy or £36 in emergency credit, or a £100 water voucher. In order to apply for the help, you must be a Medway resident who is “in demonstrable hardship” with less than £500 in your bank account.

Medway Council website states you must also “not have access to any funds that can be relied on to meet the need you are applying for, and where you would be left with insufficient resources” which could risk your health and safety. You’ll need to share your latest months bank statements to prove your qualify.

We’ve rounded up some of the help currently on offer from other councils. As an example, Cornwall Council is offering £80 payments to certain households, including pensioners in receipt of Pension Credit and families receiving Council Tax Support. But as the new round of funding has only just been made available, not all councils have updated their websites with the latest Household Support Fund information. If you’re struggling, get in contact with your local council as soon as possible to see when its scheme will open again.