Up to 25,000 people across North Yorkshire struggling with the soaring cost of living are eligible for special payments and are being urged to claim them before August 15.

Many residents who have been contacted to say they are eligible for household support funding have claimed it but thousands have not and are being asked to claim the funds now. The payments can be worth between £75 and £150 through supermarket chains.

The Government scheme is being run through North Yorkshire County Council and letters have been sent out to households which qualify. In the first phase of the scheme 9,300 households with children in the county received an e-voucher payment. A council spokesperson said the most recent scheme is designed to reach a broader range of people in the county, in line with new national guidelines, and is expected to reach about 25,000 households, including pensioners and working age people without children.

So far 75 per cent of people have claimed their vouchers but many have not and the deadline is August 15.

North Yorkshire County Council’s executive member for corporate services, Cllr David Chance said: “We would encourage everyone who is eligible to receive a Household Support Fund voucher payment to claim it. This is national funding and is specifically designed to help people with the rising costs of essential items. If you have received a letter to say you are eligible for a voucher, we would like to reassure you that many other people are in the same situation.”

The council said people can select an e-voucher from one of a number of supermarket chains and claiming the voucher will not affect any other benefits households may be receiving.

Payments are made to;

*Families getting help to pay their council tax bill through the means tested Council Tax Reduction Scheme as of 31 May 2022 with a child under 19 living at home. They will receive a £150 e-voucher.

* People of state pension age receiving the maximum Council Tax Reduction Scheme discount as of 31 May 2022. They will receive a £150 e-voucher.

*Working age households without children who receive the maximum Council Tax Reduction Scheme discount as of 31 May 2022. They will receive a £75 e-voucher payment.

Eligible people have already been sent letters on how to claim, but there is an online checker for anyone unsure if they qualify at www.northyorks.gov.uk/HouseholdSupportFund