Families on lower incomes are to get more cash help from Portsmouth City Council

Eligible families will receive a total of £150 in supermarket vouchers, per child, by the end of this year.

They will get a £70 voucher this summer, and another £80 voucher towards the end of the year.

As with previous voucher schemes, this one is paid for by the government's latest allocation of household support funding, which is given to councils to distribute according to local circumstances.

This time round, the council is working to make vouchers available to even more lower-income families.

Families with children in years R to 11 will be given their vouchers automatically, by their schools, and this will also include children who are due to start school in September. There is no need to apply for a voucher if a child is on the school register.

To qualify for a voucher, a child needs to have been registered for benefits-related free school meals before June 30.

Other lower-income families, with children not of school age, will need to apply for vouchers online.

Applications are expected to open in August, and eligibility details will be announced soon, along with information on how to apply. In the meantime, families can register their interest by searching ‘household support fund’ at www.portsmouth.gov.uk

Cllr Suzy Horton, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Children, Families and Education, explained: ‘The cost of living crisis is still hitting local families hard and I'm really pleased that we can continue to provide support.

‘We know that every penny counts, and I'm sure these vouchers will make a difference.

‘We're working hard to get this support to the largest number of families as quickly as we can. Once schools have sent out vouchers to families who qualify automatically, we will be asking other families to apply to us so they can benefit from vouchers too.’

The council is also using the government funding to give more people access to help to make their home warmer via Switched on Portsmouth. To find out how to save energy and money, visit switchedonportsmouth.co.uk or call free on 0800 260 5907.