People across Kent are being urged to check if they are eligible for a scheme to receive a £100 home energy voucher now the criteria has been changed.
Residents have until the end of March – or when the funding is spent – to register.
The money is part of the Household Support Fund, being provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help people with cost-of-living pressures and administered by the Helping Hands project team at Kent County Council (KCC).
The voucher is redeemed against gas and electric bills.
The DWP issues guidance for each round of funding and uptake of schemes is constantly evaluated by the KCC team with some changes made through the process to maximise its impact.
To date, £33 million has been provided through the Household Support Fund scheme in Kent since it first began in October 2021 in response to the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The eligibility criteria for the £100 energy voucher:
- aged 16 or over
- a Kent resident, permanently living within one of the 12 local authorities covered by Kent County Council (this excludes Medway, Bromley and Bexley)
- in receipt of means-tested benefits, or household income is less than £30,000 per year before tax
- savings not above £250
- not be receiving free school meals support for any child within your household (in a separate scheme, families who are supported with free school meal vouchers in the holidays will also receive a £50 voucher per eligible child to be used to support with home energy costs. This will be issued to them via their child’s school).
For more information about the £100 self-referral voucher scheme and to access the application form, please visit kent.gov.uk/
If there is someone you know who you think could be eligible, please make them aware. If you are supporting individuals who are experiencing financial hardship as a result of the cost-of-living crisis and would like to receive more information regarding the professional referral energy voucher scheme, please email [email protected]
If you live in Margate and need more advice please contact me
The people who have received this £100 have received it in cash from the post office when they have presented the
Code on their phone.
This was a real strength of the scheme. People were able to use it. FleXibly to meet their needs
When will schools be issuing £50 vouchers to every child?