THOUSANDS of Brits are set to receive £125 in extra cost of living payments within days.
The support comes through the Household Support Fund, which is worth £842million.
You'll usually need to be on a low income to receive the help, but you don't necessarily need to be claiming DWP benefits like Universal Credit to claim the cash.
What you can get depends on where you live and what eligibility requirements are set by your local authority.
For example, thousands of households living in Reading can get free cash paid directly to their bank accounts to help with the cost of living.
Eligible households can get up to £125 in cash vouchers depending on their circumstances.
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Who's eligible for the support and how much can I get?
Households with children who qualify for free school meals or care leavers are eligible for two £125 vouchers this year.
You'll be eligible for a cash voucher in December if you're a care leaver or part of a household with children in receipt of free school meals.
The first should have been sent in July and a second payment is due in December and these households don't need to apply.
Those who don't fit the criteria above can still apply for a £125 cash grant direct to bank accounts if they're considered vulnerable.
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Support will be prioritised to households who fall into one or more of the following categories:
- People with disabilities
- People living alone
- Residents with unsecure employment
- Large households
- People with energy-inefficient homes
- Households with prepayment energy meters
- Residents in private rented accommodation
- Victims of crime
- Veterans
- Residents with English as a second language
- Residents with ethnically diverse heritage
Do I need to apply for the support?
If you don't qualify for the £125 Post Office voucher you'll still be able to apply for £125 in cash support if you fit some of the criteria above.
Make sure you have the following information to hand:
- Your council tax account number
- Your council tax property reference number
- National Insurance number for you and your partner
- Details of income/benefits for you and your partner
- Details of essential expenditure for you and your partner
- Details of any savings you and your partner have
You can apply for the support on the Reading Borough Council website.
What if I don't live in Reading?
Each council runs its own Household Support Scheme.
Local authorities are given a different portion of funding depending on the size of the catchment area, population, and need.
Local authorities have some autonomy on how they use the Fund to reach the vulnerable people in their communities.
Eligibility requirements will vary depending on where you live – so check directly with your council if you could get the cash help.
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.
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