Where are free supermarket vouchers being issued this Christmas?

New round of funding for Household Support Fund means councils and local authorities can issue extra cash to families most in need

Shoppers in a supermarket aisle (Martin Rickett/PA)

Low-income families across Britain could be entitled to receive free supermarket vouchers worth as much as £70 this Christmas as part of local welfare programmes.

The UK government has made an additional £421m available to county councils and unitary authorities across the nation via its Household Support Fund.

The investment covers the period 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023, with the decision on how to spend the cash left up to local authorities, although it is specifically intended, according to the government, “to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for the other support government has recently made available but who are nevertheless in need”.

Portsmouth Council has already begun using its share of the money to issue £70 vouchers to parents whose children are in primary education and qualify for benefits-related free school meals, with each family receiving one per child.

Those with children in early years childcare, who qualified for two-year-old childcare funding or an early years pupil premium and whose son or daughter was attending a professional childcare setting as of 7 October, will also get the voucher.

All qualifying recipients should receive their voucher by the end of the school term, according to The Sun.

Middlesbrough Council has also commenced a similar scheme, handing out £60 vouchers to enable locals most in need to buy groceries and essentials this festive season.

How other local authorities will choose to use the money is at their discretion but you can use the council checker tool on the government website to find your own and read up on their plans for spending their portion of the Household Support Fund allotment.

Other councils are thought likely to follow the examples of Portsmouth and Middlesborough, with the likes of Bromsgrove and Redditch handing out as much as £500 during the prior round of funding.

You can read more on cost of living support going out this December here and on the revised payment dates for state pensions and benefits this month here.