THOUSANDS of households can get up to £800 free cash straight into their bank accounts to help with rising costs.
The help is being dished out under the new round of £421million funding given by the government to the Household Support Fund.
Councils have been given a slice of the new funding on offer, which will be given out to struggling households to help them with the rising cost of bills and food.
Each council gets a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
The vouchers or grants on offer vary by location so you'll have to check to see what you can get and how your council will pay you.
You'll usually need to be on a low income to receive the help.
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Runnymede Borough Council is offering its residents cash support capped at £800 per household.
The council has two versions of support available to struggling households.
But you can apply for more than one form of support within the council's rules.
In the first version is split into three different types of help.
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It's largely available for people who receive specific benefits including Universal Credit and PIP.
Households with children can claim £80 towards their food shopping, families without children can get £50.
The second type of support is for essentials linked to energy and water, such as sanitary products, soap and blankets.
Families with children can claim £80 and those without can claim £50.
The third type is related to energy and water bills, where non-payment would cause enforcement action.
Households can get up to £150 for electricity, gas and water.
No more than one payment can be made in each calendar month, the council said.
For the full list of eligible benefits for each of the three versions of support make sure to check the council website.
The second version of support is allocated by third party organisations including Citizens Advice, Surrey County Council Adult Social Care Team and the Housing Team.
They will assess entitlement and recommend a payment to Runnymede Borough Council.
The types of help you can get in this version include: £150 for bills, £500 for repair or replacement of essential white goods, and £350 for travel expenses.
You can also get £350 for essentials like broadband and clothing, and £800 for rent arrears in exceptional circumstances.
You can apply for the two different versions of support through the council website and the full criteria for applying can be found there too.
Make sure to keep an eye on your council's website for updates about the scheme.
Can I get help if I don't live in Runnymede?
Yes – you can still get help under the Household Support Fund.
What support you can get will vary, because each council is in charge of how to spend the funding available.
Some decide to dish the help out automatically, while you'll need to apply in other cases.
Some councils choose to distribute funding in the form of vouchers, while others give out cash payments.
To get more information on what support is available, and how to get it, you'll need to contact your local council.
You can find yours using the gov.uk council checker tool.
What can I get?
Councils decide how to distribute their funding.
But in the last round of funding, you could get up to £250 in free cash support from some councils – like Rother in Sussex.
For example, thousands of residents in Luton are due electronic vouchers to help pay for food and other household essentials.
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Check your local council to see what its offering.
Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing [email protected]
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