Families on low incomes struggling to pay their energy bills can now apply for a £250 grant from Bath & North East Somerset Council.

The council is providing pre-paid debit cards to vulnerable families this winter to help them meet rocketing energy costs.

Councillor Kevin Guy, council Leader, said: "Many families are facing a double financial whammy this winter: energy prices are rocketing while inflation is forcing up the general cost of living. Combine that with stagnating wages and you are left with more and more people struggling to make ends meet.

"Vulnerable low-income residents shouldn't have to face a choice of eating or heating their homes. That's why we thought very carefully how best to spend the money we've been given by Government to help households with the increased living costs this winter and are targeting the support to those most in need."

To qualify for the scheme applicants need to be in receipt of one of the following benefits:

Income Support

Income-related Employment Support Allowance

Housing Benefit

Or on a low income – for the purpose of this scheme, low income means combined household earnings or pensions of less than £350 per week. Household means a person or unit of people who live together and all normally contribute, whether equally or not, to household bills

Applications should be made via the council's website here or by contacting the Benefits team. All applicants will need to provide evidence of their eligibility.

Qualifying households will be entitled to one £250 payment in the form of a pre-paid debit card to pay for energy related bills including gas and electricity; topping up key-meters; purchasing other household fuels and paying for other energy related services such as boiler maintenance.

The debit cards must be used by the scheme's closing date of 31 March 2022. Due to the limited funding available, once all funding is exhausted no further awards will be made.