Thousands of state pensioners in Surrey could receive a welcome £300 boost to help with their grocery shopping this December, thanks to a new council initiative.
Essential Support for Households
Surrey County Council has launched its new Everyday Essentials E-voucher scheme, providing crucial financial support to residents struggling with rising living costs. The programme is funded by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) Household Support Fund and comes at a critical time as winter approaches.
Successful applicants will receive a £300 electronic voucher that can be spent across nine major supermarket chains: Aldi, Asda, Farmfoods, Iceland, The Food Warehouse, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and Waitrose.
Eligibility and Application Process
The scheme is open to any Surrey resident aged over 18 who meets specific financial criteria. Applicants must have household savings of £2,000 or less on average over a 90-day period and an annual household income under £27,007.50 before taxes and deductions.
This makes state pensioners particularly well-positioned to benefit from the support. The council requires evidence of financial circumstances to ensure help reaches those who need it most.
"We need to understand your household's financial circumstances to confirm that the support is needed," a council spokesperson explained. "You will need to provide evidence of your household's income and benefits if requested."
Important Application Details
The voucher scheme will remain available until Tuesday 31 March 2026 or until all funds are allocated, whichever comes first. Applications are processed Monday to Friday and close once the monthly fund is fully allocated.
Potential applicants should note that the scheme reached its quota for November but will re-open in early December. Successful applicants will receive their e-voucher by email within four weeks, with calls coming from 0300 200 1032.
Residents are advised to save this number as "Essentials E-voucher" in their phones to avoid missing important communications about their application.
