Thousands of households can receive vouchers worth up to £210 to help with the rising cost of living.
The vouchers will be paid to struggling households in Medway Kent by Medway Council through its Household Support fund.
The scheme is a Government initiative designed to help with the cost of living, with the help being issued through councils.
The scheme was recently extended until Spring next year after it was set to finish this March.
Medway Council is giving vouchers that can be used to help with the cost of food, energy, water, home essentials, and housing costs.
The vouchers can only be used for the purpose they are provided for.
For support for food and household essentials costs the amount you can get is dependent on your household's personal situation.
These amounts are:
- Single person - £50
- Household with 2 people - £70
- Household with 3 people - £105
- Household with 4 people - £140
- Household with 5 people - £175
- Household with 6 or more people - £210
For fuel support for those on prepayment meters, Kent residents will be referred to the Fuel Bank Foundation which will send a £30 voucher.
Those not on a prepayment meter, will either receive a £100 household essentials voucher or will have a payment made directly to their energy supplier.
For help with water, households will get a voucher worth £50 - Medway Council will also contact Southern Water who will then check if you are entitled to any further support.
For housing costs, Medway Council will decide the amount you get on a case-by-case basis.
The housing costs support will not be given to help with mortgage payments.
Medway Council will not give out the vouchers for:
- applications made that are felt to be not an immediate need
- applications from those with "sufficient income or savings"
- clothing - except in exceptional circumstances where someone is fleeing their home for example, due to flooding, fire or domestic violence
- phone costs or associated expenses
- help with Council Tax
To be eligible for the support you need to be:
- be a Medway resident
- be aged 16 or over
- be in "demonstrable hardship"
- have less than £500 in your bank account
- not have access to any funds that can be relied on to meet the need you are applying for and if you don't get help it would cause serious risk to your own, or your family’s, health, or safety
You can apply for help through Medway Council's website here and after you have applied the council will then contact you with the outcome.
