As the cost of living crisis forces many of us to cut down on our weekly shop, thousands of hard-up families have been offered free cash in a bid to keep hungry mouths at bay.
With rising inflation showing little sign of abating, households up and down the country have been worrying about how to get food on the table, or pay the next bill.
But thankfully councils have stepped in to offer some much-needed help to cash-strapped residents.
One such leading light is the authority in Middlesborough, which is giving those in need a £60 voucher to spend on food.
The coupons began going out earlier this month to parents of children receiving free school meals, with the one-off payment per child available to use at any supermarket.
In total, the town is handing out a £1.6m slice of the government’s cost of living household support scheme.
In a timely effort to help struggling families, the Household Support Fund - which has already been extended beyond its initial September end date - was topped up by another £500million earlier this year.
This was announced at the same time Chancellor Rishi Sunak unveiled a raft of measures to help families:
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A £650 one-off payment for Universal Credit and benefits
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A £400 energy discount for every household
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A £300 one-off payment to low-income pensioners
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£150 extra one-off disability payment
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Other councils have been just as quick as Middlesborough to dish out help from the Household Support Fund.
In Norfolk, the latest handout means eligible residents can get £120 in food vouchers to cover meals for kids, while the authority in Reading is giving pensioners £98 energy vouchers and £49 to families to help cover similar costs.
Cornish residents are in with a shout of claiming up to £180 in support, while Brighton and Hove parents could get £105 to cover essentials over the school breaks.
So far there are no hard and fast rules for councils when it comes to help offered, with each serving up differing amounts of cash and setting varying levels of eligibility.
If you think you may be entitled to any funding, it is advisable to check with your local authority about whether you qualify and how best to apply.
If you're still strapped for cash to spend on feeding the family, you can apply for up to £442 help with Healthy Start Vouchers.
