March could be your last chance to grab a £200 to £300 voucher for Aldi, Asda, Tesco, Morrisons, Sainsbury’s, Farmfoods or one of several other major supermarkets before the DWP’s scheme is axed at the end of this month.

The Household Support Fund has been a vital lifeline for many low income families across the UK. The fund sees a pot of money handed to local authorities across England and Wales from the DWP. Councils then decide how they would like to spend the money on helping households, which takes various forms from direct cash payments to vouchers to spend at supermarkets and money off energy bills.

Unlike many other forms of support, it is not necessarily a requirement to be on benefits, and each council can use its own discretion to decide who to give payments to.

But the fund is closing at the end of March and set to be replaced with a new, different scheme called the Crisis and Resilience Fund, the precise details of which are yet to be released.

Right now, Surrey Council is still giving out £200 to £300 cost of living supermarket vouchers through the Household Support Fund, until March 31.

It says: “Funding was allocated via the Department of Work and Pensions to help those families who are struggling financially in Surrey. Financial assistance will be available for food, fuel, water and other essentials, and has been distributed via organisations within the county who become aware of those families that are in financial crisis.

“The last and seventh round of Household Support Funding was announced and runs between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026. The amount allocated to Surrey was £9.3m which is a 12% reduction on previous rounds. The funding is allocated via the Department of Work and Pensions to fund schemes and organisations that help those families who are struggling financially in Surrey. This latest round of funding has been allocated via organisations and schemes in Surrey to provide services and support to residents in Surrey in the best way.”

As well as funding services like free school meals, the money is made available to households directly though the council’s Everyday Essentials e-voucher scheme.

The vouchers are worth £200 for single person households, or £300 for households with a child or children.

This is the full list of supermarkets the voucher is valid for:

• Aldi: Cannot be used for the purchasing of gift cards, lottery tickets, scratch cards (or related material), alcohol or anything through Aldi’s website. Redeemable instore only.
• Asda: Cannot be used in Asda petrol stations or to purchase tobacco products, stamps, lottery or phone top-ups. Redeemable online and instore.
• Farmfoods: No restrictions. Redeemable instore only.
• Iceland and The Food Warehouse (part of Iceland foods group): Cannot be used for alcohol. Redeemable instore only.
• Morrisons: Cannot be used for gift cards or lottery purchases. Cannot be used in Morrisons Daily stores or Morrisons fuel stations. Redeemable instore only.
• Sainsbury’s: Cannot be used in Sainsbury’s petrol stations, pharmacies, for branded gift cards, scratch cards, Liquefied Petroleum Gas Autogas, infant formula, tobacco and related products, British Telecom phone cards, E-top-up, savings stamps, postage stamps, National Lottery products, online delivery charges, concession coffee shops and restaurants. Redeemable online and instore.
• Sainsbury’s Grocery only: Can only be used to purchase food and toiletries, not accepted in Sainsbury’s petrol stations. Redeemable instore only.
• Tesco: Cannot be used in Tesco petrol stations. Redeemable instore only.
• Waitrose: No restrictions. Redeemable online and instore.

Other local councils have other rules about the scheme and how to apply and what they will pay. Go here to check if you can make an application where you live before the scheme ends.