Thousands of Brits can claim up to £200 in vouchers for food and energy bills

Thousands of struggling households across the UK can get free vouchers to help them tackle soaring bills this winter.

The help is part of the Household Support Fund, which is distributed by councils in England to help those who need it most.

Now, a new boost worth £421million means thousands will receive support to cover food costs, energy bills and essentials this winter.

It is up to each council to decide how to distribute this cash, so it means families face a postcode lottery on exactly what help is available - and who can get it.

Some councils choose to distribute support in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.

And while some will receive help automatically, others will have to apply.

Families in need of support should contact their local council (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

To find out what support is available in your area, you'll need to contact your local council, or use the gov.uk council checker tool.

Peterborough City Council says it will pay up to £200 in the form of vouchers to qualifying households, but they will need to apply for help through the council's website.

To qualify, you must first be living in the Peterborough City Council area and be aged between 18 and state pension age.

You’ll also need to be in the process of applying for a means-tested benefit such as Universal Credit, income support or child tax benefits.

While some will receive help automatically, others will have to apply (Getty Images/Image Source)

Those claiming will need to be assessed and provide some personal information when filling out forms.

Then, local councils will decide how much money a household is entitled to.

If you’re single and earning less than £25,000 a year or living as a couple and earning less than £43,000, you may also qualify.

But help is not just limited to Peterborough, as others can still receive support through the fund.

Some councils are supporting those on Universal Credit (Geography Photos/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)

Trafford Council is giving eligible households £15 per week for each child for the October and Easter school holidays.

You could also get £30 per week for each child for the Christmas and February school holidays.

Or if you're a resident covered by North Devon council, you could get a voucher Post Office Payout voucher worth £50.

These can be exchanged for cash at any Post Office within the district.

Not all councils have updated their pages with information of the latest Household Support Fund extension.

The Household Support Fund will run from this month until March 2023, or until the funding has been spent.