Surrey County Council is offering support to hundreds of households by providing free £300 supermarket vouchers to assist with the cost of living. This initiative is part of the Household Support Fund, which aims to help vulnerable families and is funded by local authorities.
Residents of Surrey County Council can access the support through the Everyday Essentials E-Voucher scheme if they are facing difficulties affording food and essential items. The vouchers can be used at various supermarkets such as Aldi, Asda, Farmfoods, Iceland, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Tesco, and Waitrose.
To be eligible for the scheme, residents must be over 18 years old, live in Surrey, have household savings of £2,000 or less over a 90-day period, and an annual household income below £27,007.50 before taxes and deductions. Applicants need 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, residents can apply again from March 2. Those outside of Surrey should inquire with their local council for available support options.
Other councils are also providing assistance, such as Nottingham City Council offering £100 vouchers to low-income individuals. Wakefield Council is distributing food vouchers to households receiving council tax help, while Blackpool Council is providing energy support vouchers based on household size.
For those in financial hardship struggling to pay bills, evidence of recent bank statements for all household members is required to claim the support. The distribution of vouchers is based on specific criteria and is not on a first-come, first-served basis.