Cost of living help worth £100 will be given to struggling households this month

13 March 2024 , 11:05

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Eligible households in Tower Hamlets will be getting a £100 supermarket voucher this month (Image: Getty Images)

Cost of living support worth up to £100 will be given to struggling households this month.

Certain households in Tower Hamlets will be given up to £100 in supermarket vouchers through the Household Support Fund scheme. This is a Government funded initiative which gives local authorities money to spend on cost of living support in their area.

Tower Hamlets council in London will be spending their pot of cash on £2million worth of supermarket vouchers for households who claim free school meals. Those eligible for the vouchers will not need to make a claim, they will instead be contacted directly to let them know they are eligible. The vouchers are to be distributed to eligible households over the next few weeks.

The vouchers can be spent at Asda or Tesco supermarkets. Residents who are not eligible for this support are encouraged to use Tower Hamlet's online benefits calculator to see if they are missing out on any financial support.

Lutfur Rahman, Executive Mayor of Tower Hamlets said: "We are doing all that we can to help ease the burden of the cost of living crisis. We are continuing our universal free school meals for all pupils in primary and secondary schools saving families hundreds of pounds a year. As food costs continue to soar, I hope the supermarket vouchers will come in handy to stock up on essentials.”

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Cllr Saied Ahmed, Cabinet Member for Resources and Cost of Living added: “For some families, the financial pressures are immense and we want to make sure this funding gets to those who need it - some of whom will not be getting any other support. Schools will be getting in touch with families direct to distribute the supermarket vouchers over the coming weeks.”

The House Support Fund scheme was launched in October 2021 and has been extended ever since. The most recent extension came in the Spring Budget last week with the Chancellor announcing further funding of £500million for the next six months until September.

The scheme gives each local authority a pot of cash to spend on supporting those struggling with the cost of living. The amount of money given to each authority depends on the size and population of the area with larger more densely populated areas receiving more money.

The help offered is decided by each local authority and you can only receive help from your council - this means the scheme is a bit of a postcode lottery. To find out what your local council is offering you can head to their website as there will usually be a cost of living tab which details what is available.

Ruby Flanagan