THOUSANDS of households can get supermarket vouchers worth £150 to cover the cost of food and other essentials.
The help comes via the Household Support Fund, which is worth £842million.
The government has set up the fund and shared the pot between local councils in England.
They then decide how to distribute their share – some are offering out vouchers while others are making direct cash bank transfers.
Dorset Council is offering thousands of residents supermarket vouchers worth £150 to help with the cost of living.
The vouchers are being allocated by the Dorset Citizens Advice branch but you can apply via the Dorset Council website too.
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Eligible residents can apply for the help from five dates:
- May 3, 2023
- June 6, 2023
- July 4, 2023
- August 2, 2023
- September 7, 2023
Once all the vouchers have been allotted for each window it will close, so you have to be quick. Applications open at 9am on each date.
You can't apply for the vouchers within six months of a previous application.
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So, if you applied for help in November 2022 you won't be eligible for this round until May 2023 onwards.
You'll need ID documents ready to upload when applying, including your birth certificate, driving licence, passport and council tax bill.
You can only claim one £150 voucher per household.
Successful applicants will receive their vouchers within six to eight weeks of applying.
If you need help completing the online application you can call the Dorset Council customer service team on 01305 221000 or email them on [email protected].
Alternatively, you can call the Citizens Advice Dorset branch on 0800 144 8848.
Who is eligible?
You can only apply for the £150 vouchers if you live in Dorset.
If you are not sure whether you live in the county, you can use the government's council locator tool on its website.
You just have to type in your postcode and it tells you who your local council is.
You also have to prove you are on a low income. So, you will be eligible to apply if you have:
- an annual household net income of less than £30,000 and
- savings of less than £16,000 and
- not applied for a previous Household Support Fund payment within the last six months
Net income is the amount your household receives after any tax or deductions.
Dorset Council says any calculations of your annual net income should not include Personal Independence Payments, Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Carers Allowance, or Child Benefit.
If you are not sure whether your household income breaches the £30,000 threshold you should apply for the help just in case you are eligible.
What about if I don't live in Dorset?
You can still get help if you live outside of Dorset, but the help you can get varies from area to area.
The application process changes depending on where you live too.
For example, residents in West Sussex can apply for help from April 11 while households in Buckinghamshire can apply from now.
Eligibility varies from council area to council area, but usually you will be entitled to help if you receive benefits or are on a low income.
What other help can I get?
If you aren't eligible for the latest batch of Household Support Fund, you might be entitled to a cost of living payment.
The government is handing out the payments to millions of people this year and into 2024. They are worth £900, £300 and £150, totalling £1,350.
Depending on your circumstances, you might be entitled to all three.
The £900 payment has been split into three instalments worth £301, £300 and £299.
The first instalment is due to be paid to over eight million households within weeks.
The second and third instalments will be made for most people this autumn and in spring 2024 respectively.
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Millions of pensioners will receive the £300 cost of living payment too, while those with disabilities will get a £150 payment.
Meanwhile, one London council is offering £250 free cash payments via a £1million hardship fund.
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