Thousands of households on low incomes can apply for free supermarket vouchers worth up to £320
THOUSANDS of low income households can apply for free supermarket vouchers worth up to £320.
The help comes via the latest round of Household Support Fund which is worth £742million to councils across England.
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Councils have been given a share of the fund and are now distributing it to households in need.
The eligibility criteria varies depending on where you live, but you will usually qualify for help if you're on a low income or benefits.
North Northamptonshire Council has opened applications for hard-up households to apply for supermarket vouchers worth up to £320.
Single person households are eligible for £150, two person households £260 and those with three or more people in the home qualify for £320.
You must meet certain eligibility criteria to qualify for the vouchers.
For example, your household must have a total income, including all benefit payments, below certain thresholds.
Households with two adults and no children must have a total income of less than £658.
Households with a single adult and two children cannot have a total income of £890 or more.
You also cannot have money, savings and investments totalling over certain amounts if you want to qualify.
More details on the eligibility criteria and applications can be made via northnorthants.gov.uk/household-support-fund/wider-essential-support.
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North Northamptonshire Council says it takes around 30 minutes to apply and two months to process any applications.
The council will contact you by phone or email with any follow up questions.
If it needs more information from you you have to provide it within seven days or your application will be denied.
If approved, vouchers will be issued directly to the email address of the main person who applied.
Can I get help if I live outside North Northamptonshire?
Whether you can get help via the Household Support Fund depends on where you live.
Because each council sets its own eligibility criteria, it's a postcode lottery as to whether you'll get help.
However, the chances are if you're on benefits or a low income you will be able to get help.
The best thing to do is visit your local council's website and try to navigate to the Household Support Fund page.
Once there, read the eligibility criteria and see if you can apply.
Or, you can contact your local council's customer service helpline to inquire.
The latest round of Household Support Fund runs until March 31, 2026, and some councils have already opened up for applications.
Others are still deciding how to distribute their share of the fund though.
Households in Birmingham are being urged to apply for £200 payments.
Meanwhile, hard-up pensioners in Hull are set to receive £200 in free cash.
Other help if you're on a low income
If you're not eligible for the Household Support Fund, there is an abundance of other help on offer.
It's worth checking if you're eligible for benefits if you haven't already - it could boost your bank balance by thousands of pounds a year.
Are you missing out on benefits?
YOU can use a benefits calculator to help check that you are not missing out on money you are entitled to
Charity Turn2Us' benefits calculator works out what you could get.
Entitledto's free calculator determines whether you qualify for various benefits, tax credit and Universal Credit.
MoneySavingExpert.com and charity StepChange both have benefits tools powered by Entitledto's data.
You can use Policy in Practice's calculator to determine which benefits you could receive and how much cash you'll have left over each month after paying for housing costs.
Your exact entitlement will only be clear when you make a claim, but calculators can indicate what you might be eligible for.
If you're struggling with the cost of food, check where your nearest food bank is, to help you get cupboard staples for less.
The Trussell Trust has hundreds of food banks across the UK, and you can find your nearest one here - trussell.org.uk/emergency-food/find-a-foodbank.
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