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Two-week warning for thousands of families to redeem £80 cost of living payment to help with food and bills
Read below on how you can find out if you're eligible for help
THOUSANDS of households have just weeks left to claim cash vouchers worth £80.
The help comes via the latest round of the Government's Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421million.
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The pot of money has been shared between councils in England who then decide how to distribute it and who is eligible for support.
That means what you are entitled to varies depending on where you live and it can be a bit of a postcode lottery.
However, you could be in line for everything from supermarket and energy vouchers, to direct cash payments.
Thousands of residents in Stockton-on-Tees, County Durham, should have already received vouchers worth £80 which can be exchanged for money to cover food and energy bills.
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Working-age households entitled to council tax reduction received an £80 voucher by the end of June.
Residents who of pensionable age and entitled to council tax reduction should have received their vouchers by the end of July.
The vouchers can be exchanged for cash at any PayPoint location, which can be found via www.paypoint.com/storelocator.
However, anyone who has received a voucher and not already cashed it in only has a few weeks left to do so.
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In a recent post on X, formerly Twitter, Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council reminded eligible households they need to redeem the vouchers by August 31.
Stockton-on-Tees Borough Council is also offering discretionary payments of £80 to low-income, energy-paying households who do not receive council tax reduction.
How to cut energy costs and get help with FOUR key household bills
You may be eligible for this payment if:
- You live in the Borough of Stockton-on-Tees
- Your household does not get Council Tax Reduction
- You are liable to pay the household energy bills or prepayment meters
- Your total net weekly household income does not exceed £425 for a single person, £525 for a couple, or £625 for a family
You can apply for the discretionary payment by visiting www.digital.stockton.gov.uk/household-support-fund-2024.
HELP FOR THOSE OUTSIDE OF STOCKTON-ON-TEES
If you don't live in Stockton-on-Tees, you may still be eligible for help through the HSF.
The latest round of £421million funding has been shared between councils, but not equally.
Each local authority gets to decide its own eligibility criteria as well, although you will usually qualify if you are on a low income, benefits or classed as vulnerable.
Some councils started distributing help in April and have already depleted their share, so you might have missed out for now.
A number of local authorities are still offering help to hard-up households though.
Households in Canterbury, Kent, have just weeks left until they have to apply for cash payments worth £250.
Meanwhile, thousands of families in Hackney, London, are in line for food vouchers worth up to £120.
OTHER COST OF LIVING CASH
If you're not eligible for the Household Support Fund in your local area, it's worth checking if you qualify for benefits.
Recent figures from Policy in Practice reveal millions of people aren't claiming the extra help when they could be.
In total, £23billion went unclaimed over the last financial year, with £8.3billion worth of Universal Credit not claimed for.
You can apply for benefits on the Government's website.
It's not just extra money you get from benefits either, with a number opening up additional perks.
Those on Universal Credit can get help covering the cost of childcare, for example, while those on Pension Credit can get a free TV licence.
Those on the Guarantee Credit element of Pension Credit also qualify for the Warm Home Discount - a yearly £150 discount off energy bills.
You may also be able to get grants to cover your energy bills if you've fallen into arrears.
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A number of energy firms offer grants to struggling customers, including Scottish Power, Octopus Energy and British Gas.
If you're struggling to pay your bills, speak to your supplier to see if they can give you any help.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected].
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