Household Support Fund – Food vouchers and housing costs

Food vouchers

The Isle of Wight Council will issue vouchers automatically to several different Island cohorts. These vouchers will be sent out to eligible residents based on records held by relevant departments.

The connect4communities team are not providing any food vouchers that can be applied for. If you do not meet the eligibility criteria for any of the voucher schemes, please contact the Citizens Advice team at Isle Find It: Help Through a Crisis or one of the community organisations that have been funded.

What is on offer

  • Two separate £100 Sainsbury vouchers, sent across the 23/24 financial year to young carers registered with the IWC young carers service on 1 April 2023 and 1 October 2023. These vouchers would be sent in June and November 2023.
  • Two separate food vouchers, sent across the 23/24 financial year period to care leavers registered with the IWC Leaving Care service on 1 April and 1 October 2023. These vouchers will be sent in July and December 2023.
  • A one-off £50 Sainsbury voucher sent to all Island households in receipt of Local Council Tax Support (as of 1 April 2023), to be issued in October 2023.
  • Two separate £100 Sainsbury vouchers sent across the 23/24 financial year to Children in Need registered with Children’s Social Care on 1 April and 1 October 2023. These vouchers will be sent in August 2023 and January 2024.
  • Two separate £100 Sainsbury vouchers, to be sent across the 23/24 financial year to children registered with the Disabled Children’s Team on 1 April and 1 October 2023. The vouchers will be sent in July and December 2023.
  • Two separate £100 Sainsbury vouchers, to be issued during the 23/24 financial year period to households registered with the IWC Children’s Services Early Help service on 1 April and 1 October 2023. Vouchers will be issued in September 2023 and February 2024.

The vouchers 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 not valid for use on alcohol, tobacco products, or lottery.

Contact us

For queries please email [email protected].

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).

What is on offer

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 1 June 2023 to 31 March 2024.

Where to get support

Visit the Isle of Wight Council Housing Department website or call 01983 823 040.

Isle of Wight Food Bank

Assisting with food donations, white goods and the set-up of a community garden

What is on offer

The Isle of Wight Foodbank, who provide 3 days of emergency food at their network of 5 cafés across the Island has been funded by the connect4communities team to assist with the drop in donations.    We have funded them to purchase food needed for those in crisis.    They will also be able to help those that visit with small kitchen appliances such as microwaves and air fryers etc.

The Isle of Wight Foodbank are also looking to set up a community garden, managed and tendered by volunteer gardeners and residents that visit them.   This will provide longer-term sustainable provision of fresh fruit and vegetables

Who is eligible

To visit the Isle of Wight Foodbank you will need a referral.  Please see their website . https://isleofwight.foodbank.org.uk/ for more information).  The kitchen appliances will be given to those most in need and this will be assessed on your visit to the foodbank café when you bring your foodbank voucher with you.

How do I apply

Please visit the Isle of Wight Foodbank website for more details.

When is it available

The foodbank is always available, but our funding grant window is 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024