Council hands out £140 supermarket vouchers to aid with rising cost of livingHarrogate district residents to be offered cost of living support

Thousands of people in the Harrogate district will be offered support amid the cost of living crisis.

North Yorkshire County Council is working with Harrogate Borough Council to offer a one-off payment in supermarket e-vouchers to help those most in need to pay for food and other essentials.

The scheme was initially set up by the Department for Work and Pensions to help people meet the cost of energy bills, food and other essentials as the country recovered from the covid-19 pandemic.

The funding is allocated to councils, which then distribute the money in a way that meets the needs of their local communities.

Cllr David Chance, North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for corporate services, said: 

“These are difficult times for people, so the third phase of the Household Support Fund will really make a difference to the many residents who are struggling to afford food and basic necessities.

“We’ve been working closely with borough and district council colleagues to identify who is eligible for the Household Support Fund vouchers based on guidance from the Department for Work and Pensions, so you do not need to approach your local council, we will contact you.”

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The latest round of the Household Support Fund has also been used to supplement other schemes which will help residents with their household costs. 

This includes support for food banks and other schemes providing free food across the county.

For more information on the Household Support Fund in North Yorkshire, visit the county council website here.

Fund set up for struggling Harrogate district residents this winter

Harrogate district residents will be able to apply for financial support this winter in order to pay for living costs.

As part of £3.5 million worth of funding from the Department for Work and Pensions, North Yorkshire County Council will offer payments of up to £250 to those families eligible.

The Household Support Fund will see supermarket vouchers provided to people in North Yorkshire who receive means-tested council tax support or reduction and have a child under the age of 19 living at home.

The e-vouchers can be used online or in stores locally and should help people meet the costs of food, energy bills and other utilities.

Cllr David Chance, executive member for stronger communities said: 

“The Household Support Fund is a new scheme announced by the government in October this year.

“In North Yorkshire, we have put together an eligibility criteria to identify those most in need of financial support this winter, which recognises the current pressures heading into winter, including the end of the national furlough scheme and increased costs of essential goods and services.

“If you don’t receive a letter, but are struggling to afford food or heating, you may be eligible for help from North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund, or Warm and Well North Yorkshire.”

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The county council is set to contact around 8,000 families across North Yorkshire who will be eligible for the support.

The remainder of the money will be distributed among other assistance schemes in the county which can be accessed by residents who don’t meet the eligibility criteria for voucher payments, but who are also likely to struggle to afford basic necessities, including household goods.

For more information on the Household Support Fund, visit the North Yorkshire County Council website.