Households across the UK could get a £65 payment paid to them and help them through winter.

Residents that currently receive Council Tax Reduction, due to low income, could get the payments as part of a scheme from the Department for Works and Pension - administered through their local councils.

The money is coming from the Government’s Household Support Fund and is to support residents with the cost of living crisis.

If there are children in the household, there could be an additional payment of £20 for every eligible child. 

The expectation is that the fund should be used to support households in the most need; particularly those who may not be eligible for the other support that the government has recently made available but who are nevertheless in need.

Residents do not need to apply for these payments. If you currently pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit, payment will be made into the same bank account.

If you don’t pay by Direct Debit, you will be sent a voucher that you can exchange at the Post Office for cash.

Check with your local council to see if they are supporting the scheme. The payment is a discretionary payment being made by some, but not all councils.

The DWP has not asked City of York Council to administer the scheme.

In November last year York council said it was writing to more than 3,000 families, inviting them to apply for a potential one-off payment of between £200 and £300. 

Alongside this, a discretionary scheme is inviting applications up until March 31 this year for a scheme that aims to support potentially financial vulnerable residents, and specifically families with disabled children who may be affected by the increase in utility costs.