Families and individuals in Reading have received a boost to their finances as thousands of people have been given payments to help with the cost of living.

Vouchers worth £185 have been sent to 3,750 households and 261 care leavers living in Reading.

The vouchers have been dispatched to people by Reading Borough Council. The payments are designed to help those people who are struggling to meet their current cost of living.

The vouchers were recently sent out to households who have children who are directly eligible for Pupil Premium Free School Meals, as well as to people who have left care.

Those who have received the vouchers have until Monday, September 9, to cash them in at a post office. These payments have been facilitated by the Household Support Fund (HSF) scheme, which was funded by £1.13 million (£1,130,648) from the Department of Work and Pensions.

Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), the leader of Reading Borough Council, said:  “The high cost of living means that many Reading households are still struggling to pay for everyday essential items.

“The increased demand on council services we have experienced demonstrates the difficult circumstances many households find themselves in. “I am pleased the HSF scheme helps provide some relief for those families and vulnerable individuals.”

Low-income households were also given the opportunity to apply for a one-off payment of £125 from the HSF.

The council has paid out around £210,000 to Reading residents since the scheme was introduced in May, with the deadline for applications now being closed.