State pensioners handed free £70 to spend in supermarkets in November

State pensioners receiving specific benefits are being handed free £70 vouchers to spend in supermarkets in November.

The payment comes as part of the Government's Household Support Fund which gives local councils across England a share of a funding pot worth £742 million. The fund is to help vulnerable homes with essential living costs during the winter months, including energy bills and food. 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 eligibility criteria to receive the support.

In West Yorkshire, Wakefield Council has confirmed it will be issuing supermarket vouchers worth £70 to pensioners receiving Council Tax Support. The vouchers can be used to help with food costs this winter and can be spent at major supermarkets.

The council will issue the vouchers to those who are eligible in two stages in November. The first batch will be issued from Tuesday, November 4, to Thursday, November 5, 2025, to pensioners in receipt of Council Tax Support who no longer receive the Winter Fuel Allowance (i.e. those not receiving Pension Credit).

The second batch will be issued from Tuesday, November 11 to Thursday, November 13 2025 to pensioners in receipt of Council Tax Support who still receive the Winter Fuel Allowance (i.e. those receiving Pension Credit).

Wakefield Council said: "Eligible households do not need to apply for these vouchers. They will be issued automatically. Please allow up to 14 days for the voucher to arrive.

"Full instructions on how to redeem the voucher will be included in the letter. Once the voucher has been redeemed, it doesn't have to be spent all at once. It can be used several times until the entire amount has been spent.

"Please note that receipt of these vouchers will not affect entitlement to any other benefits you may be receiving."

As Household Support Fund cash is distributed independently by local councils in England, it means that the cost of living support available will vary by location, with different vouchers or grants up for grabs up and down the country.

The 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.

North Yorkshire Council is issuing £190 cost of living payments to eligible households from October 8 to spend across nine different supermarkets, including Asda, Morrisons, Sainsbury's, Tesco and M&S.

Doncaster Council will pay eligible households up to £300 towards food costs, while other households can qualify for a £100 payment to go towards energy bills.

In West Yorkshire, Leeds City Council is issuing payments of up to £120 to low income households receiving Council Tax Support from October 13, while households in Nottingham can get energy vouchers worth £98 and supermarket vouchers worth £75, amounting to £173 worth of support, and residents in Manchester receiving Council Tax support and a disability benefit can get £130.