Thousands of households could get £180 worth of supermarket vouchers and up to £150 in energy help to ease the rising cost of living.
The money is being distributed by Plymouth City Council as part of the Household Support Fund with applications to reopen in January.
The Household Support Fund is a pot of Government cash which is issued to local councils to help struggling families.
The scheme first started in November 2021 and has been extended three times so far.
The latest instalment is worth £421million and will run until March 2023.
It is up to each local authority to decide what type of help it offers, and who gets the support. This means the help varies greatly from council to council.
The help on offer ranges from supermarket and energy vouchers, to grants that don't need to be paid back.
Plymouth City Council has explained how it is distributing cash from the Household Support Fund.
Applications are currently closed due to high demand but will reopen in early January.
If you are eligible for help, you might be able to apply for £180 in supermarket vouchers for either Asda, Morrisons or Tesco.
You might also be able to get £147 in energy vouchers for pre-payment meters, or a £150 credit voucher for credit accounts or smart meters.
Other support includes help with white goods and furniture.
To apply, households must fall into one of these categories:
-
You live with at least one child under 18
-
You live with someone who has a disability or long-term health condition
-
You live with someone who has reached pension age
You also must not have accessed support from the previous Household Support Fund between July 6, 2022 and November 27, 2022.
Applications will reopen in January 2023 and only one application can be made per household.
You will able to apply on the Citizens Advice Plymouth website.
Each council is in charge of distributing its own Household Support Fund cash.
To check what help is on offer where you live, type in the name of your local council into Google followed by "Household Support Fund".
Each council has set up a dedicated page on its website, explaining what help it is offering through the scheme.
For example, Stockton-On-Tees Borough Council is offering free cash help worth £350 in the New Year, along with energy vouchers worth up to £100.
Residents covered by North Yorkshire County Council can claim electronic vouchers worth £325 to help pay for food and other essentials at supermarkets.
Medway Council is offering food vouchers worth between £50 and £210, energy vouchers worth between £30 and £100 and water vouchers worth £50.
