A scheme to help those struggling with the cost of living to buy groceries and essentials will be launched this week in North Yorkshire.
Phase 3 of the Family Assistance Fund is being rolled out to more than 23,000 eligible people in collaboration with the district and district councils. This will provide her one-time payment with e-vouchers in supermarkets to help those most in need of payment for food and other essentials.
The scheme was first set up by the Ministry of Work and Pensions to help people meet the costs of utilities, food and other essentials as the country recovers from the Covid-19 pandemic. The National Criteria, now in Phase 3, has been updated to help those who have missed out on other government assistance designed to help with their living expenses.
Funds are allocated to local governments and distributed in a manner that meets the needs of local governments. As a result, the Household Assistance Fund scheme may vary slightly in different parts of the country.
Those eligible in North Yorkshire will be automatically identified and will not need to contact the county council, borough or district authorities. Between now and January 16th he will receive a letter with instructions on how to redeem the voucher with a personalized code. As the scheme ends, he must claim the voucher by February 15th.
The two main groups that receive payments are:
- Residents who received a housing benefit between August 26 and September 25 but were not eligible for a second cost of living payment to receive a low-income benefit or tax credit. They receive a single electronic voucher for £325.
- Residents who, as of November 30, were receiving the maximum discount to pay the city tax bill through a means-tested city tax relief scheme. They receive a single electronic voucher for £85.
Residents who have received only a partial reduction in city tax are not eligible for the household support fund system.
Vouchers can be used at various supermarkets and some offer online shopping options. You can use your e-voucher directly from your smartphone or print it out and use it as a paper voucher. If people choose to print them, they are asked to pay and look after them carefully to make sure the barcode can be read.
Cllr David Chance, Executive Member of Enterprise Services, said: We have been working closely with our Borough and District Council colleagues to identify those eligible for Household Assistance Fund vouchers based on guidance from the Ministry of Work and Pensions. Therefore, there is no need to contact the local council.
“We urge people to be wary of scammers who claim to represent the council and are trying to take advantage of the difficult situation people are facing. So ask for your bank account details. It is not.
“We also encourage those who qualify and have received the letter to make sure to redeem the voucher by February 15th. No one knows, just like any other voucher.
“If you are not eligible for the latest round of the Household Assistance Fund but are having trouble paying for food, energy, or other essentials, there are other aids available. Please refer to the.”
The latest round of Household Assistance Fund is also being used to complement other schemes to help residents with their household expenses. This includes supporting food banks and other programs that provide free food throughout the county. A further £200,000 has been invested in the North Yorkshire Rural Assistance Fund to provide emergency food and utilities assistance. Warm and Well, an organization that helps keep homes properly heated to prevent illness, has set aside £260,000 to help those struggling with energy costs. Advice for citizens North Yorkshire has contracted with county councils to provide warmth and wellness to its residents.
Carol Shreeve, CEO of Warm and Well, said demand for the service has increased significantly in recent months. One Thursday in December, she received 100 emails and 63 phone calls in a day from people worried about heating their homes. She said many people are struggling with bills for the first time.
She urged people concerned about their utility bills to get in touch as soon as possible.
“You don’t have to be in crisis to get help from Warm and Well,” she said.
“If you’re starting to struggle with heating your home, or if you feel like you might have problems this year, talk to us. We urge people to seek help as soon as possible.”
read more Warm and Well SchemeFind out more about the North Yorkshire Family Assistance Fund here.
An Exceptional Circumstances Fund has also been created to help others who may have missed the government cost of living payments awarded in November 2022. Details of the exceptional circumstances process will be available on the County Council’s Family Assistance Fund webpage in mid-January.
