The Department for Work and Pensions has recently given North Yorkshire County Council £3.5m to make sure people who might be struggling, and feeling the financial pressures of paying their bills over the winter, get additional help.
People who are eligible can get a Household Support Fund e-voucher payment of £250 to pay for food and other essentials over the coming months. This will be equivalent to two payments of £125, one before Christmas and the second in January 2022. 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.
The remainder of the money will be distributed among other funding pots in the county, which can be accessed by residents who may struggle to afford basic necessities this winter. This includes the North Yorkshire Local Assistance Fund (NYLAF), Warm and Well in North Yorkshire and local food banks.
Around 8,000 residents who meet the eligibility criteria of getting means-tested help to pay their council tax bill and have a child under the age of 19 living at home will receive a letter so they know how to claim their e-vouchers and these letters will start to arrive from Friday 19 November.
Residents who receive a letter can claim their e-voucher at www.northyorks.gov.uk/HouseholdSupportFund
There are also answers to frequently asked questions and information about other financial support on this web page.
People without online access can call the NYCC Customer Service Centre on 01609 780780, or call us here at Nidd Plus on 01423 714953 and we will help point you in the right direction.
