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Thousands of families are due to receive letters informing them of their eligibility for a free £125 cost of living voucher, courtesy of the government’s Household Support Fund. Low-income households in England can now apply for financial aid from councils.
It is estimated that 3,850 families on free school meals and 260 local care leavers will be recipients of these cost-of-living vouchers in Reading. The Council already has the addresses of those eligible and will send out the vouchers by post.
Households have until the end of August to cash the vouchers at a Post Office. If you’re not automatically eligible for the support mentioned above, you can still apply for a £125 cash grant directly into your bank account.
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Households receiving means-tested benefits or other related state benefits (such as a PIP) are automatically assumed to have a low income. For residents who aren’t receiving any income-based or other state benefits but have specific circumstances that have negatively impacted their overall cost of living (such as unexpected or increased expenditures), a comprehensive income, expenditure, and savings assessment will be conducted within the application.
Applicants with savings over £2,000 will not be eligible for a discretionary payment. Councils are distributing amounts up to £550, although grants in many areas are lower than this. In Birmingham, residents are being offered payments of £200.
