PEOPLE who are struggling afford healthy food, essential supplies and pay their energy bills amid the cost of living crisis are being urged to find out more about the support available to them this winter.

The Forest Council has distributed more than £188,000 to the most vulnerable on behalf of the Department for Work and Pensions via the Household Support Fund, which was extended by the government in May until March next year.

Now, people who are concerned about how they are going to pay their bills this winter - with energy costs set to rise to more than double what they were this time last year - are being made aware of the support available to them.

Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Communities, Cllr Paul Hiett, says it is set to be “a tough winter for many” in the Forest.

The council has added further information about where to access help to its living costs webpage ahead of a difficult period for residents.

Cllr Hiett said: “It is set to be a tough winter for many in the district, and we have used this Household Support Fund from Government to provide a helping hand to those who are most vulnerable.

“We understand that there will be many more people who will be concerned about living costs in the coming months. If you are at all concerned, please head to our cost of living support webpage which provides information and links to other forms of support in the county that you may be eligible for.

“As a Council we have a small group of people working on a range of initiatives to help us all through this crisis and further information will be added to the webpage over the coming months, with these vouchers just part of a whole package of support.

“Further action will include advice for concerned residents, voluntary and community grants, working with Warm and Well; an initiative which can provide funding to make homes more energy efficient and more.”

The Household Support fund was used mainly to target households with children but also pensioners, with £50 spend cards and vouchers made available to those in receipt of Council Tax support and Pension Credit.

One resident who received support, Tim A, said of the scheme: “£50 to some, including us, is a week’s worth of shopping. And the voucher was greatly received and spent at Tescos.

“It made a huge difference, every voucher we get does. We would be happy to get any financial support in shopping vouchers, as any spare cash is spent on food anyway.”

To find out more about the support available, including the Household Support Fund, go to www.fdean.gov.uk/council-tax-and-benefits/help-if-you-re-struggling-with-living-costs.