Surrey County Council is offering free supermarket vouchers worth £300 to numerous households as part of assistance for the cost of living. This initiative falls under the Household Support Fund, a fund allocated to local authorities to aid vulnerable families.
Residents of Surrey County Council facing difficulties in affording food and essentials can apply for the vouchers through the Everyday Essentials E-Voucher scheme. These vouchers are redeemable at various supermarkets such as Aldi, Asda, Farmfoods, Iceland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
To be eligible for the scheme, individuals must be over 18 years old, reside in Surrey, maintain household savings of £2,000 or less over a 90-day period, and have an annual household income under £27,007.50 before taxes and deductions.
Applicants are required to provide details of their income and household benefits. Applications for the vouchers open monthly, with the next round available starting from February 3. If the application window is missed, individuals can reapply from March 2. For those outside Surrey, seeking similar support is advised through the local council.
Other councils, like Nottingham City Council and Wakefield Council, are also extending support through vouchers to low-income households. Nottingham City Council is distributing £100 vouchers, while Wakefield Council is providing food vouchers to eligible low-income households receiving council tax assistance.
Additionally, Blackpool Council is offering energy aid of £200 to qualifying households of one or two individuals and £300 to households of three or more, including children. Financially struggling individuals needing bill payment assistance must provide recent bank statements for all household members to claim support.