SWINDON and Wiltshire’s councils will receive millions of pounds from the government to help struggling citizens with food and energy costs this winter.

The latest round of support from the DWP's Household Support Fund runs until March 31 2023 and totals £421 million across all local authorities.

Swindon Borough Council is getting £1,515,345.60 while Wiltshire Council is being granted £2,728,656.41 which will help the councils prioritise financial aid for those who are most in need of it.

DWP minister of state Victoria Prentis said: “The Household Support Fund has been an important government support scheme for many of those in need over the past year.

"I’m very pleased that our decision to extend it means it will continue to help people with the costs of essentials – including food and energy – this winter.

“Millions of low-income families will have also received at least £1,200 from the government to help with the cost of living, and our Energy Price Guarantee is helping households across the country heat their homes as the nights get longer.”

This latest funding brings the overall value of the Household Support Fund to £1.263 billion so far, with £4,546,036.79 going to Swindon and £8,185,969.22 going to Wiltshire altogether.

The devolved administrations in Wales and Scotland have been allocated a total of £238 million to their budgets as well, meaning the total value of this household support to date stands at £1.5 billion.

The DWP is urging those in need to contact their local authority to access the available support.

The fund comes on top of extensive government support already in place to help with the soaring costs of living this winter.

Cost of living payments worth £650 are being paid to around eight million people on means-tested benefits, and six million disabled people are being paid a separate £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, while more than eight million pensioner households will receive an extra one-off £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year.

On top of this, a £400 reduction on energy bills is being given to all domestic electricity customers from October, and a £150 council tax rebate was delivered earlier this year to those in Council Tax bands A-D in England.

This comes in addition to a new ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ which the government says will save the average UK household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices.