Food vouchers and housing, HSF

We have two food voucher schemes running up to the end of March 2025. Details of both schemes are below.

Food vouchers

In January 2025, we will issue a £25 Sainsbury voucher to households in receipt of Local Council Tax Support on 11 November 2024.

The voucher can be used in any Sainsbury store for goods including food, household items such as washing powder, nappies, soaps and shampoo as well as clothing and bedding, if available in store but are not valid for use on alcohol, tobacco products, stamps or lottery.

How to apply for food vouchers

Households in financial crisis can apply to one of our partners for a £25 food voucher.

If you have a child open to one of the Isle of Wight Council's Children's Services team please contact your social / support worker who will help you complete an application form.

The application will then be processed by the relevant team and sent to you. 

You can apply 

• if you were in receipt of Local Council Tax Support on 11 November 2024 - you are able to apply for a further one-off voucher
• if you do not receive the benefit you can apply for up to 2 x £25 vouchers, one at a time, before the end of March 2025

If you do not have a child open to one of the services make an appointment to visit one of our delivery partners and you can apply in person. A copy of the application form will be available to complete at your appointment.

The partners are

• your child’s school or academy
• Newport Help Centre at County Hall
• Citizens Advice Isle of Wight
• Living Well and Early Help team
• Adults Social Care Out of Hours Service

Contact us

If you have a question, or would like the food voucher application form in an alternative format email hsf@iow.gov.uk

We are working hard to expand the list of partners. More details will be added when they are available.

Help with exceptional housing costs for vulnerable households

The IOW Council's Housing Department will support vulnerable households with exceptional housing costs, where existing housing support schemes do not meet need, or for cases of genuine emergency.

The fund cannot be used for support with ongoing rent or mortgage payments. Eligibility for Discretional Housing Payments (DHPs) must be considered first, and consideration given to whether there is a statutory risk of homelessness and therefore a duty of support is owed through the Homelessness Prevention Grant (HPG).

Direct financial support exceptional housing costs, potentially including rent arrears but excluding any mortgage payments. The value of any individual funding award will be dependent upon individual circumstances.

Who is eligible?

The following households are eligible:

• Families on benefits or low incomes
• Single households on fixed incomes
• Care leavers with a tenancy
• Households where fuel bills account for a significant portion of income.

When this support is available

From 11 November 2024 to 31 March 2025

Where to get support

Visit our Housing Department webpages or call 01983 823 040