State pensioners to be handed £200 Cost of Living voucher 'which can be cashed'

Hundreds of pensioners are set to get a £200 cost of living voucher before Christmas to help with energy bills. Some pensioners are to receive a £200 cost of living voucher to help with energy bills as part of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Household Support Fund.

After the Labour Party government extended the fund, Reading Council stated: "Households with pupil premium/free school meal children who are automatically eligible for direct support will receive a £125 voucher sent to their homes by the Post Office. The vouchers will be posted in December 2024. Recipients have until 10 February 2025 to cash the voucher. Vouchers cannot be cashed after the date has passed.

"Care Leavers will be receiving a voucher payment of £125. For most Care Leavers this voucher will be sent to them by the Post Office, with some others being provided directly by the Leaving Care Team." And it will be handing out sums of £200 too.

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It said: "Households with claimants in receipt of Council Tax Reduction / Housing Benefit that are of pension age but who are not eligible for Pension Credits, will receive a £200 voucher sent to their homes by the Post Office. The vouchers will be posted in December 2024. Recipients have until 10 February 2025 to cash the voucher. Vouchers cannot be cashed after the date has passed."

A Household Support Fund grant of £1,130,648 was confirmed for Reading to provide cost of living support to households in the most need. This includes those who may not be eligible for other support the government has recently made available.

Reading's Council Leader Liz Terry said: "We know from the number of people approaching the Council for support that the cost-of-living crisis has not gone away. We also know the Council’s vouchers can mean the difference between putting food on the table or being able to pay for heating.

"This year the Council has chosen to additionally use some of the funding available to direct support to pensioners in Reading no longer eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance, but who are also in receipt of support through the Council Tax reduction scheme and / or Housing Benefit.

"We are grateful to the Government for acknowledging the importance of the Household Support Fund scheme to local councils and for extending it through the winter."