THOUSANDS of households are set to receive up to £650 in free cash this winter to help them with the cost of living.
The help comes via the Household Support Fund (HSF) which is worth £421 million.
The central pot of money from government has been shared between councils.
But each local authority has been given a different amount and is distributing it differently.
So what you’ll get depends on where you live.
Exeter City Council is offering up to £650 in free money to almost 2,000 households.
The support will come as cash vouchers that will be sent to eligible families’ home addresses.
All vouchers should be sent before the end of January, 2023, and can then be redeemed at your local Post Office branch.
So households in line for payments just have to sit tight and wait.
The council said households they’ve identified as in the highest need of support will receive the money.
That means those receiving Council Tax Support, so those with disabled children, carers, those in work or larger families or those who get non-dependant deductions.
If you fall into more than one of these groups you’ll get more money.
For example, families with disabled children will get £100 and large families with four or more children £150.
Households can get up to £650 in total if they meet all the criteria.
Can I get help if I don’t live in Exeter?
Yes you can. But what you’ll get will depend on where you live.
Each council has been given a different amount and gets to decide who to distribute it to.
But, usually, the money is given to households on low incomes or benefits.
Thousands of households in Guildford are in line for £400 bank transfers this Christmas.
And thousands of families in Shropshire are in line for a £180 payment.
Sometimes the money is sent as a direct bank transfer while other times households are sent vouchers to either redeem for cash or spend at shops.
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