Latest news with #HSF7
Scottish Sun
23-06-2025
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Hard-up households can apply for food vouchers worth up to £500 now – check if you qualify
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SELECT UK households will be eligable for free food vouchers worth up to £500. The financial aid is part of the latest round of a Government scheme, and is designed to help hard-up families. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 UK households may be eligibale for up to £500 of food vouchers as part of a Government scheme (stock image) The fund will help residents of Ribble Valley who are deemed eligible, with applications now open. This latest round (HSF7) of the Government's Household Support Fund will see thousands of pounds given to those who need it. Ribble Valley Borough Council has received £158,983 to issue to local residents who meet the funding criteria. Households who need financial help and have a combined household income of less than £35,000 per year can apply for a food voucher. These vouchers will range in value from £200 to £500, depending on circumstances. Nicola Hopkins, the council's director of economic development and planning, spoke about the latest round of the iniative, which is designed to help with the rising cost of living. 'This latest round of funding will provide further much-needed support to local vulnerable residents who are most in need of help with the cost of essentials," she said. The scheme will run while funding is available and vouchers will be distributed on a first-come basis. So if you're a resident of Ribble Valley, check now to see if you qualify for this financial assistance. Only one application can be made per household. Disability benefit explained - what you can claim Priority is being given to new applicants, with households who received a voucher through HSF5 (April 2024-September 2024) only being eligible for HSF7 from October 1. Meanwhile, anyone who received a voucher as part of the HSF6 round (October 2024-March 2025) will not be eligible to apply for this latest round of vouchers. A series of vouchers are available as part of the scheme, depending on your household set-up. Vouchers worth £200 will be alotted to single households, while £300 will be given to households with two or more adults. Household with children, including any person under the age of 19 at the time of the award or a person aged 19 or over who is the subject of a child-related benefit, will receive a voucher worth £500. Cost of living payments: what you need to know HSF was introduced in October 2021 and there have been several rounds of funding since then. In October 2024, the Government announced that HSF would be extended nationwide for a further 12 months, from April 2025. Under HSF6, almost 300 households in Ribble Valley were issued supermarket vouchers totalling nearly £100,000. For further information or to apply for funding visit Help for Households
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
"Fantastic news": council abandons community pantries funding cut
County Hall has made a U-turn on a decision cutting funding for Isle of Wight community pantries, described as 'fantastic news" for those dependent on them. Household Support Fund 7 (HSF) investment worth £295,000 has been allocated for the support hubs in a revised decision by cabinet member Cllr Debbie Andre, following a call-in of a prior decision denounced as 'cruel and heartless'. HSF 7 is a £742 million government funding package to support vulnerable households, distributed through unitary and county councils. Cllr Geoff Brodie, with the support of eight other councillors, called-in Cllr Andre's previous April 24 decision – a delivery plan allocating £1,994,369.25 in Isle of Wight HSF. Read more: Community pantries funding cut branded "cruel and heartless" They asked why community pantries were facing a 46 per cent funding cut despite overall Whitehall funding 'only being reduced by 12 per cent'. The council's revised Isle of Wight HSF delivery plan supports a range of initiatives including £530,000 in community grants, £400,000 in supermarket vouchers and a utility, food and white goods support scheme worth £350,000. Cllr Brodie described the updated decision as 'fantastic news for all those dependent on support from community pantries and larders'. Read more: Isle of Wight community pantries funding could be slashed Monique Gallop, a coordinator for Cowes Community Pantry, welcomed the change of plan, adding that the cut would have 'taken people's dignity away'. She said: 'It (the cut) would be huge. Between all the pantries, I'd say we have at least 300 people visit a week. Out of that 300, that's going to be at least a minimum of probably 900 people a week that survive off the food from the pantries. 'It would have had a dramatic effect.' The Isle of Wight Council have been approached for comment.
