Families on Universal Credit can apply for free £300 vouchers this month – check if you're eligible

The Sun

4 days ago

THOUSANDS of households can apply for free vouchers from their local council this month.
This is through the Government's Household Support Fund, which has given £742million to councils across the country to help struggling residents.
1
Local authorities can choose how they use the funds to help people in their area, and the latest to reveal its plans is City of Doncaster Council.
It says it will be providing one-off payments worth up to £300 to residents on certain benefits.
You'll be eligible if you receive:
Housing benefit
Local Council Tax Reduction
Universal Credit which includes the housing element
Means-tested free school meals.
Families can get £100 vouchers towards the cost of food if they have one dependent child.
Households with two dependent children will get £200, while families with three or more will get £300.
City of Doncaster Council says it classes children as dependent if you receive Child Benefit for them.
Other eligible households - including those without children - can get £100 towards the cost of energy bills.
The council is also putting £150,000 into supporting local food banks and its hygiene bank.
Hundreds of thousands have been set aside to support community hubs helping vulnerable households and people in crisis.
6 Easy Water-Saving Gadgets That Can Save You £100s
How can you get the payment?
If you've already received help from the Household Support Fund before and you still meet the criteria, you won't need to apply.
Instead the payment should land in your bank account automatically.
You will need to contact the council if your bank details have changed, though.
If you were paid by cheque previously, you'll receive the payment by cheque again unless you contact the council and provide it with your bank details.
You can contact the council to change your details by emailing [e-mail].
You'll need to provide your name, National Insurance Number, full address, bank sort code, account number and the name of the account holder.
If the council can't verify that you're still eligible for the payment but you think you are, you will need to reapply.
Households that haven't received a payment previously will need to submit an application.
You can do that using the link here.
Make sure you apply before the applications close in July.
When will the payment be sent?
Households with children will get their food vouchers on or around July 15.
Those who are receiving help with their energy bills will get their vouchers much later.
These will come through on or around December 15.
Can you get help if you live outside Doncaster?
Most likely, yes.
Councils across the country have been given money through the Household Support Fund scheme.
They can choose to distribute the money how they want so you should check what your local council is doing.
However the aim is to help households cover essentials such as energy or water bills and food costs.
Some councils have not yet revealed how they are planning to spend the money, but others have shared details on their websites.
For example, households in Redcar & Cleveland can get support worth up to £230.
Those in Leeds can get payments of up to £150.
Councils have until March 31, 2026 to allocate their share of the fund to residents.
If you're struggling with bills or on benefits, it's likely you'll be able to get support.
You should contact your local council or check its website to see what it's offering and whether you might be eligible.
You can find what council area you fall under by using the government's council locator tool - www.gov.uk/find-local-council.
Some offer supermarket vouchers while others are sending direct cash payments.
It's worth noting that any help you receive via the Household Support Fund won't affect your benefit payments.