UK households can apply for new £500 cost of living voucher

Struggling households are being urged to apply for cost of living vouchers worth up to £500 this summer. The help is being distributed by Ribble Valley Borough Council as part of the Household Support Fund.

The Household Support Fund is a pot of cash awarded to local councils by the central Government. It is down to each local council to decide how it uses this money to help residents - but usually, the support on offer is either vouchers or cash grants that don't need to be paid back.

Ribble Valley Borough Council is awarding food vouchers to eligible households that have a combined household income of less than £35,000 per year.

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You can get a £200 voucher if you live alone, £300 if you live in a households with two or more adults, or £500 for households with children.

The application process is live now on ribblevalley.gov.uk and will be available until July 11, 2025, unless the funding runs out before this date. You won't be eligible if you previously received a voucher from the council between October 2024 and March 2025.

If you received a voucher from the council between April 2024 to September 2024, then you will only be eligible for further help after October 2025.

If you're not a Ribble Valley resident, it is worth checking what support your local council can offer you through the Household Support Fund.

For example, City of Doncaster Council is providing help to households that are in receipt of certain benefits, including Housing Benefit, Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit and free school meals.

If you're in a household with one dependent child, you will get a £100 payment for food, while £200 will be paid for two dependent children, and £300 for three dependent children.

The council described a dependant child as one you are receiving Child Benefit for. A single payment will be made for energy bills to households that meet the eligibility criteria.

Hull City Council is giving £200 to pensioner households. Meanwhile, low income families will get a £40 school uniform grant, as well as food vouchers in school holidays for those eligible for school meals.

Hartlepool Borough Council is awarding £100 food vouchers to all households where a child is aged between two and 19 and is eligible for free school meals. Households with pensioners who are in receipt of council tax support will get £100 in bank payments or food vouchers this year.