State pensioners in one part of the UK are being sent letters for a one-off £110 payment in December to help with cost of living pressures.
The payment is being awarded as part of the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Household Support Fund to eligible pensioners in Derbyshire who are in receipt of means-tesed Council Tax support, with other local councils giving out cost of living support in other parts of the UK too. The DWP scheme gives local councils across England a share of a funding pot worth £742 million to help vulnerable households struggling to afford essential living costs over the winter months, including energy bills, food and other essentials. The funding is allocated from now until March 31, 2026, and local councils independently decide how to share the cash, so depending on where you live, there may be different criteria to qualify for the support.
In the East Midlands, Derbyshire County Council is providing one-off payments of £110 to eligible state pensioners on a low income and to adults receiving home care support.
The payment will be issued in the form of a Post Office voucher and letters are being sent out to those who qualify from November and early December.
The council said pensioners who are entitled to means-tested Council Tax support with their Council Tax bill will be eligible for the vouchers, as will adults receiving home care support who are on a low income.
Derbyshire County Council explains: “Eligible households will receive a letter in November 2025 with a one-off £110 Post Office voucher to help with cost of living pressures. The vouchers will be available for:
- pensioners (aged over 66) who are entitled to means-tested council tax support with their council tax bill
- adults who are receiving home care support from us and are on a low income – home care support is care that people receive in their own homes or in their local community to help them to stay safe and independent
“Letters will be sent out throughout November and early December. If you think you’re eligible and have not received a letter, or have a question about your voucher, please contact the Household Support Fund team telephone: 01629 535070.”
As Household Support Fund cash is distributed independently by local councils in England, the cost of living support that’s available varies by location, with different vouchers or grants up for grabs across the country.
Payments may also be issued at different times depending on where you live, so it’s possible for some to receive the support in time for Christmas, while others may have a longer wait.
The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) says there may also be differences in who the money is given to and if or how you need to apply for the support, as some local councils opt to share the money out through local charities and community groups, while some limit household applications to one per year.
For example, households in Staffordshire can get a one off £300 utility payment made direct to their utility provider via the scheme, while residents in Calderdale can get a maximum of two payments of £85, amounting to £170 worth of support in total.
In the East Midlands, households in Nottingham can apply for £100 vouchers to spend in supermarkets, while in South Yorkshire, Doncaster Council is giving eligible households up to £300 towards food costs and other households can qualify for a £100 payment to go towards energy bills.
In the East of England, Cambridgeshire County Council is issuing £110 to eligible households in the form of direct payments or supermarket vouchers, while residents in Manchester receiving Council Tax support and a disability benefit can get payments of up to £130 to help with living costs.