Households can apply for £320 cost of living supermarket vouchers to spend in Waitrose and M&S in DAYS
Families struggling with the cost of living can apply for the support through the government's Household Support Fund.
1
The help is part of a wider essential support scheme and is only awarded once to any eligible household.
Each council has its own share of the £742million, which they can dole out to residents in need.
Eligibility criteria for the support varies but usually you need to be on a low income or on benefits.
Residents of North Northamptonshire will soon be able to apply for supermarket vouchers worth up to £320.
Tokens can be used in a wide range of shops from Sainsbury's and M&S to Waitrose and Asda.
The scheme was closed due to a high number of applications, but is due to reopen again in just a few days.
The second window of applications will re-open on August 4, 2025.
The amount you receive depends on a number of factors, including how many people you live with and your income.
For example, a person who lives alone will be given a voucher worth £150.
Meanwhile, a house with two residents could receive £260 for their food shop.
Nationwide £100 Bonus, Tesco Clubcard Voucher Deadline, and EDF Free Energy Returns – Money News Today
If you live in a home with three residents or more you will receive a voucher worth £320.
To apply you will need to have a National Insurance number and provide proof of your income with a bank statement.
The council said submissions are expected to take two months to process.
If approved, you voucher will be sent to your email address.
If you are keen to apply visit, www.northnorthants.gov.uk/support-offer/household-support-fund for more information.
What if I don't live in North Northamptonshire?
The £742million Household Support Fund has been shared between all councils in England.
So, if you don't live in this area but are struggling financially or are on benefits you will likely be eligible for help.
This is because the fund was originally set up to help those on low incomes or classed as vulnerable.
What type of help you can get will vary but it could range from a free cash payment to supermarket vouchers.
For example, residents in Worcestershire can apply for support worth up to £500 to help with water and energy costs.
Devon County Council has also issued supermarket vouchers worth more than £90 to 22,000 families with children on free school meals.
The £90 is equivalent to £15 per week for the six week school holiday.
Households in Redcar & Cleveland can also now apply for support worth up to £230.
Household Support Fund explained
Sun Savers Editor Lana Clements explains what you need to know about the Household Support Fund.
If you're battling to afford energy and water bills, food or other essential items and services, the Household Support Fund can act as a vital lifeline.
The financial support is a little-known way for struggling families to get extra help with the cost of living.
Every council in England has been given a share of £421million cash by the government to distribute to local low income households.
Each local authority chooses how to pass on the support. Some offer vouchers whereas others give direct cash payments.
In many instances, the value of support is worth hundreds of pounds to individual families.
Just as the support varies between councils, so does the criteria for qualifying.
Many councils offer the help to households on selected benefits or they may base help on the level of household income.
The key is to get in touch with your local authority to see exactly what support is on offer.
And don't delay, the scheme has been extended until April 2025 but your council may dish out their share of the Household Support Fund before this date.
Once the cash is gone, you may find they cannot provide any extra help so it's crucial you apply as soon as possible.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Legendary high street retailer with 120 UK stores confirms its shutting popular shop after string of closures
AN iconic high street retailer with 120 UK stores has confirmed it's shutting yet another shop. The chain announced it will shut one of its branches on August 10 after its landlord decided not to renew its lease. 1 HMV in St Nicholas Arcades in Lancaster is closing its doors for the final time as store bosses scramble to relocate. The shop is housed in the town shopping centre, which is undergoing a major revamp. After 25 years on the site, HMV said it had hoped plans would allow it to continue trading at the centre. In a statement, bosses said said they had "no intention to stop serving our loyal customers". They added: "HMV first traded in Lancaster over 25 years ago, and whilst we hoped that the landlord's redevelopment plans would have allowed us to keep trading, this was unfortunately not possible. "As we have no intention to stop serving our loyal customers in Lancaster, we are actively looking for a new unit to restart trading as soon as possible and would encourage landlords and agents in Lancaster to get in touch with new potential sites. "The current last day of trade will be Sunday August 10. Nearby HMV stores in Blackpool and Preston will remain open." This comes just weeks after the retailer shuttered its store on Cornmaker Street in Oxford. The shop was housed in the Clarendon Centre, which was due to undergo a major revamp that isn't due to finish until 2029. After three decades trading in Oxford, HMV said it had hoped the plans would still enable it to continue trading at the centre. Major card chain with 163 shops launches closing down sales ahead of shutting its doors for good In a statement, bosses said they had "no intention to stop serving our loyal customers in Oxford". They added: "We are actively looking for a new unit to restart trading as soon as possible and would encourage landlords and agents in Oxford to get in touch with new potential sites." It's the latest blow to Britain's struggling high street. Beales, one of the UK's oldest department stores, shut its shop in Poole after more than 140 years. Meanwhile, New Look is in the process of shutting around 100 shops across the UK, blaming rising costs and changing shopping habits. Why are retailers closing stores? RETAILERS have been feeling the squeeze since the pandemic, while shoppers are cutting back on spending due to the soaring cost of living crisis. High energy costs and a move to shopping online after the pandemic are also taking a toll, and many high street shops have struggled to keep going. However, additional costs have added further pain to an already struggling sector. The British Retail Consortium has predicted that the Treasury's hike to employer NICs from April will cost the retail sector £2.3billion. At the same time, the minimum wage will rise to £12.21 an hour from April, and the minimum wage for people aged 18-20 will rise to £10 an hour, an increase of £1.40. The Centre for Retail Research (CRR) has also warned that around 17,350 retail sites are expected to shut down this year. It comes on the back of a tough 2024 when 13,000 shops closed their doors for good, already a 28% increase on the previous year. Professor Joshua Bamfield, director of the CRR said: "The results for 2024 show that although the outcomes for store closures overall were not as poor as in either 2020 or 2022, they are still disconcerting, with worse set to come in 2025." It comes after almost 170,000 retail workers lost their jobs in 2024. End-of-year figures compiled by the Centre for Retail Research showed the number of job losses spiked amid the collapse of major chains such as Homebase and Ted Baker. It said its latest analysis showed that a total of 169,395 retail jobs were lost in the 2024 calendar year to date. This was up 49,990 – an increase of 41.9% – compared with 2023. It is the highest annual reading since more than 200,000 jobs were lost in 2020 in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, which forced retailers to shut their stores during lockdowns. The centre said 38 major retailers went into administration in 2024, including household names such as Lloyds Pharmacy, Homebase, The Body Shop, Carpetright and Ted Baker. Around a third of all retail job losses in 2024, 33% or 55,914 in total, resulted from administrations. Experts have said small high street shops could face a particularly challenging 2025 because of Budget tax and wage changes. Professor Bamfield has warned of a bleak outlook for 2025, predicting that as many as 202,000 jobs could be lost in the sector. "By increasing both the costs of running stores and the costs on each consumer's household it is highly likely that we will see retail job losses eclipse the height of the pandemic in 2020.
The Sun
13 minutes ago
- The Sun
Full list of jobs that qualify for Blue Light Card – with savings of £800 a year including at Asda and Starbucks
MILLIONS of workers can get access to discounts of up to £800 a year thanks to the Blue Light Card. The discount scheme was set up in 2008 to reward "Blue Light" and public sector workers with discounts from a number of retailers, including Apple, Asda and Domino's. Card members can save an average of over £800 per year, based on an average saving of £70 monthly on groceries and other everyday essentials. You can use it to get discounts on clothes, holidays, insurance and even cars, and it can be used to across thousands of restaurants, shops and venues. There are around 15,000 discounts to choose from. It's typically available to NHS staff, emergency services, social care workers, and armed forces personnel. However, the scheme was extended last year to teachers, leading to thousands more signing up for an account. Primary and secondary school teachers are eligible, as well as those as Sixth Form colleges and Special Schools. Staff that work in higher education are not currently included in the scheme. When it was announced the scheme would be extended to teachers last year, the website and app crashed due to "unprecedented demand" on the system. If you're eligible for the card, you can get a digital one for free or it costs £4.99 for a physical card, which lasts two years. You can use the digital card by downloading the Blue Light Card app via Google Play or the App Store. It also has a interactive map feature to help you find local discounts closest to your chosen location. Who is eligible for the card? Anyone in the following roles is eligible for the card: Ambulance service Blood bikes Fire service Highways traffic officers HM armed forces HM armed forces veteran HM coastguard HM prison and probation service Home Office (Borders and Immigration) Independent lifeboats MoD civil servant MoD fire service MoD police NHS NHS Dental Practice Pharmacy Police Red cross Reserved army forces RNLI Search and rescue Social care St Andrews ambulance St John ambulance Teachers excluding higher education staff How to register for a Blue Light Card To be eligible for a Blue Light Card, you' ll need to prove your profession by uploading a form of valid ID or recent payslip. To sign up, just head to the Blue Light Card website where you'll have to fill out a form. Bear in mind, you'll be asked a couple of questions, for example, about your job title and where you work. The retailers that participate in the Blue Light Card scheme can change regularly, meaning there isn't a comprehensive list of stores you can use it at. So it's worth checking whether the discount is valid on the store website if you're shopping online, or asking a member of staff when at the till in-store - the worst they can say is no. Some of the current participating brands include: Apple Hotpoint JD Sports Toby Carvery New Look Odeon Ray Ban Abercrombie & Fitch Samsung Starbucks Superdry Cineworld Popeyes Asda Always make sure to shop around for better offers before making a purchase to be sure you're getting the best deal possible. Blue Light Card holders can also make big savings on their holidays with discounts from companies such as Jet2, EasyJet and Expedia. Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@
The Independent
42 minutes ago
- The Independent
Why millions of motorists denied payouts after car finance court ruling
The Supreme Court ruled that car finance lenders are not liable for hidden commission payments to millions of drivers, overturning a previous Court of Appeal decision. This decision significantly reduces the potential compensation payout for lenders from an estimated £45bn to between £5bn and £15bn. The court rejected arguments that the payments were 'bribes' or that car dealers had a 'fiduciary duty' to customers, but upheld one case where the finance relationship was deemed unfair. Despite the ruling, consumers who paid particularly large commissions may still be eligible for compensation under the Consumer Credit Act. The Financial Conduct Authority is expected to announce a redress scheme for cases where the relationship is deemed unfair, with experts advising consumers to await further guidance.
