THOUSANDS of struggling families could be handed £100 free cash to help cover costs.

The Household Support Fund offers households a lifeline when they may need it most, whether it’s with the food shop, school uniform or paying essential bills.

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In Darlington, County Durham, the Department for Work and Pensions announced the HSF will be extended up to March 31 2025.

The extra funding can be used in the form of food vouchers, for families of a child who receives benefit-related school meals.

They will also be given food vouchers for the school holidays.

Foodbanks across Darlington will see more support too, thanks to the HSF as demand rises.

Eligible residents can also use the uniform exchange scheme which could help with the cost of sending kids back to school.

Meanwhile, £100 will be available for all care leavers.

And, pensioners whose annual income is low enough for them to receive council support, but not eligible for pension credit, could claim hundreds.

Households who do not have enough money to pay for food and fuel should be contacted directly about applying for the HSF.

Stephen Harker, the leader of the council said: “The current government funded Household Support Fund is being delivered effectively, helping those most in need in Darlington and surrounding villages. We hope to support the most vulnerable as best we can.”

Amanda Riley, cabinet member for stronger communities added: “A programme aimed at maximising household incomes is also included in this round of Household Support Fund.

“We will identify residents who may qualify for benefits and contact them by letter. If you or a family member or friend receive a letter, please don’t ignore it, you/they could be owed money. We urge you to check to see if you should claim.”

WHO IS ELIGIBLE

Those who are eligible to receive the HSF help with have to meet the following criteria.

• Be a resident of the Darlington Borough Council area
• Liable to pay housing costs i.e. rent or mortgage or registered as homeless with Darlington Borough Council
• Your household has not already received an award in this round
• You are a low-income household
• You are in financial hardship and acutely affected by the cost of living crisis or are in significant debt of £5,000 or over
• You do not have any savings

HOW TO APPLY

Applications can be made online, accessed through the citizens advice website, or Darlington Borough Council’s website.

Those who think they are eligible will have to fill out the HSF application form.

The information will be shared with Darlington Borough Council.

Applicants may be contacted by Citizens Advice Darlington Redcar and Cleveland if more details are required.

What is the Household Support Fund?

Households in need can claim support to help with the cost of living via the Household Support Fund.

The funding is supplied from a £421million pot by the Department for Work and Pensions.

It was first introduced in October 2021 and has been extended five times.

Councils up and down the country get a portion of the cash to allocate to vulnerable households.

Get in touch with your local council to see if you might be eligible for help.

You can find what council area you fall under by using the Government’s council locator tool on its website.

The help you can get varies depending on who your local council is, as well as your personal situation.

But you may be able to get free cash and vouchers to help pay for things like heating your home or to cover costs of your weekly grocery shop.

If an applicant is already receiving benefits, these will not be affected by the HSF.

And, you do not need to be getting benefits to receive vouchers or funds from the HSF.

Check with your local council to find out what support is available and the eligibility criteria.

SHOPPERS have been going wild after a limited edition Cadbury dessert was spotted at Morrisons.

The iconic chocolate maker has been rolling out its festive treats ahead of Christmas.

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And Morrisons shoppers were pleased to see the winter edition of its Layers of Joy trifle has made a comeback for the holidays.

One eagle-eyed shopper posted the good news on social media, with lovers of the creamy delight quick to share their excitement.

Commenting on the post, one said: “I need a trip to Morrisons for this.””

While another said they could “demolish” the entire pot by themselves and a third simply said it was “yummy”.

The chocolaty treat comes with layers of white chocolate mousse, cinnamon flavour sponge, milk chocolate dessert and topped with cream.

Cadbury sells regular chocolate trifles all year round which feature layers of melted Cadbury milk chocolate dessert, Cadbury milk chocolate mousse and chocolate chip cookie.

Morrisons stocks a number of Cadbury chocolates across its 497 stores in the UK.

The grocer recently slashed the price of its Cadbury advent calendar to just £1.

Usually, these advent calendars are priced at £2.75, but instead, they’re on sale for just one quid.

However, the deal ends today, Sunday, November 10, so if you are keen to pick one up you will have to be quick.

It is also worth noting that the deal is only available to Morrisons More Card members.

The supermarket has been introducing a number of festive snacks in preparation for the big day.

Shoppers also recently went wild for its baked Gingerbread Latte Plait for £1.89 and a Christmas Topped Brownie Traybake for £3.

A post in Facebook group Newfooduk saw commenters unable to hide their delight.

One said: “There seems to be an explosion of new stuff like never before and it’s costing me a fortune.”

Another added: “We need these.”

The store also recently revealed its Christmas ad for 2024 and its choir of singing oven gloves have made a return of the second year running.

The gloves, voiced by Morrisons workers, are singing to encourage families as they prepare their Christmas dinner.

Morrisons Christmas delivery slots are also open for those who want to get their shop dropped off directly to their house.

How to save money on chocolate

We all love a bit of chocolate from now and then, but you don’t have to break the bank buying your favourite bar.

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how to cut costs…

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Go own brand – if you’re not too fussed about flavour and just want to supplant your chocolate cravings, you’ll save by going for the supermarket’s own brand bars.

Shop around – if you’ve spotted your favourite variety at the supermarket, make sure you check if it’s cheaper elsewhere.

Websites like Trolley.co.uk let you compare prices on products across all the major chains to see if you’re getting the best deal.

Look out for yellow stickers – supermarket staff put yellow, and sometimes orange and red, stickers on to products to show they’ve been reduced.

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They usually do this if the product is coming to the end of its best-before date or the packaging is slightly damaged.

Buy bigger bars – most of the time, but not always, chocolate is cheaper per 100g the larger the bar.

So if you’ve got the appetite, and you were going to buy a hefty amount of chocolate anyway, you might as well go bigger.

NOTHING warms the soul like a tin of soup on a chilly winter’s day.

It’s an easy lunch or snack to have on a budget, with more of us than ever turning to cheap tins amid the cost of living crisis.

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While Heinz is the big name in the soup market, a branded tin of Heinz Vegetable Soup will now set you back around £1.70 depending on where you shop.

So, perhaps it’s time to try some own brand broths.

The Sun’s Lynsey Hope tested a range of supermarket tinned vegetable soups against the market leader. Here’s what happened…

Heinz Vegetable Soup (400g) – £1.70

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Not only was this more than double the price of most own brands, it was really lacking in taste too.

I’d expected Heinz to be the best of the bunch but this was overpriced mulch.

Most of it is water, it’s thin and it contains just 9% carrot, 7% potato, 6% peas and 3% swede. That means vegetables only make up around 25% of the ingredients.

There is a bit of red pepper, but it’s barely noticeable. Overall, it’s to runny and lacking in flavour. Very disappointing and over-priced.

• Taste: 3/10
• Value: 2/10
• Overall score: 2/10

M&S Chunky Vegetable Soup (400g) – £1.10

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This soup tastes quite carrot-heavy, so I wasn’t surprised to see they make up 18% of the ingredients.

But, it also contains yellow split peas, onions, peas, potato and tomatoes which made for a nice flavour and thick texture, and it was seasoned beautifully.

The caramelised sugar is a strange addition and means it is quite heavy in sugar content, though, with 8.4g in the can.

But overall, as an easy lunch or snack when you can’t face cooking, this was nice.

• Taste: 9/10
• Value: 6/10
• Overall score: 8/10

Essential Waitrose Vegetable Soup (400g) – 70p

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This Waitrose soup had a very strange yellow colour that made it look rather unappetising.

But, there was a good spread of vegetables with 10% carrots, 7% potato as well as parsnips, sweetcorn, onion, green beans, marrowfat peas, green peans and peas.

The variety was much greater than it was in most other supermarket tins but sadly, the flavour was still lacking.

It was quite bland and a bit disappointing. I’d been hoping for more.

• Taste: 6/10
• Value: 6/10
• Overall score: 6/10

Lidl Newgate Vegetable Soup (400g) – 62p

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Beware of thinking this is a healthy option as it contains a whopping 12.4g sugar per can.

It was quite tomatoe-y in flavour, probably as it is bulked up with tomato puree.

There is a decent amount of vegetables though, including potatoes, carrots, peas, onion and swede and they had a nice solid texture without being too squishy.

At 62p, the price is great.

• Taste: 7/10
• Value: 8/10
• Overall score: 7/10

Morrisons’ Vegetable Soup (400g) – 72p

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A little pricey compared to the other own brands but this soup had a nice thick texture without being too gloopy.

It had a generous helping of vegetables with carrots, potato, green beans, onion, swede and haricot beans making up 40% of the ingredients – around 15% more than the famous brand.

Half a tin contains 10g sugar, but it didn’t actually taste too sweet.

I liked the green beans, which weren’t included in most of the other tins.

Overall, a lovely taste and good cheap snack.

• Taste: 9/10
• Value: 9/10
• Overall score: 9/10

Sainsbury’s Vegetable Soup (400g) – 62p

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The biggest selling point for this soup is the price.

At just 62p for the tin, it’s on a par with Lidl and Aldi, but it tastes better.

It had quite an earthy flavour and perhaps doesn’t contain as much veg as others, but the cooked pasta added in bulked it up and made it more filling and enjoyable.

The texture was beautifully thick and it wasn’t too sweet or salty. Very enjoyable with some bread.

• Taste: 10/10
• Value: 10/10
• Overall score: 10/10

Tesco Vegetable Soup (400g) – 62p

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A delicious warming and filling lunch option.

It is quite tomato-y with 29% vegetables – more than Heinz.

It had plenty of taste and a slight peppery flavour, which I enjoyed.

A great option to have on standby and definitely tastier than Heinz.

Be aware though that whilst the can is only 200 calories, it does contain 13.6g sugar.

• Taste: 8/10
• Value: 10/10
• Overall score: 9/10

Asda Hearty Vegetable Soup (400g) – 75p

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I did indeed find this quite hearty and enjoyed the mix of vegetables and the odd haricot bean in the tin.

It had a hint of Oregano and Paprika, which I enjoyed and it had a thick, creamy texture without being too pithy.

I felt Asda had really thrown their all into making this recipe delicious. It’s not the cheapest but it’s worth a few extra pennies. Delicious.

• Taste: 9/10
• Value: 8/10
• Overall score: 8/10

Aldi Bramwells Vegetable Soup (400g) – 62p

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Not only was Aldi’s soup an off-putting bright orange, the vegetable were a bit mushy.

The main ingredient was actually tomatoes as it contains 24% and then a mix of other vegetables including carrot, potato and peas.

It looked like sweetcorn though this is not listed in the ingredients.

It’s bland and uninteresting and in desperate need of some extra herbs or spice.

On the plus side, it is cheap.

• Taste: 5/10
• Value: 7/10
• Overall score: 5/10

How to save money on your food shop

Consumer reporter Sam Walker reveals how you can save hundreds of pounds a year:

Odd boxes – plenty of retailers offer slightly misshapen fruit and veg or surplus food at a discounted price.

Lidl sells five kilos of fruit and veg for just £1.50 through its Waste Not scheme while Aldi shoppers can get Too Good to Go bags which contain £10 worth of all kinds of products for £3.30.

Sainsbury’s also sells £2 “Taste Me, Don’t Waste Me” fruit and veg boxes to help shoppers reduced food waste and save cash.

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Food waste apps – food waste apps work by helping shops, cafes, restaurants and other businesses shift stock that is due to go out of date and passing it on to members of the public.

Some of the most notable ones include Too Good to Go and Olio.

Too Good to Go’s app is free to sign up to and is used by millions of people across the UK, letting users buy food at a discount.

Olio works similarly, except users can collect both food and other household items for free from neighbours and businesses.

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Yellow sticker bargains – yellow sticker bargains, sometimes orange and red in certain supermarkets, are a great way of getting food on the cheap.

But what time to head out to get the best deals varies depending on the retailer. You can see the best times for each supermarket here.

Super cheap bargains – sign up to bargain hunter Facebook groups like Extreme Couponing and Bargains UK where shoppers regularly post hauls they’ve found on the cheap, including food finds.

“Downshift” – you will almost always save money going for a supermarket’s own-brand economy lines rather than premium brands.

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The move to lower-tier ranges, also known as “downshifting” and hailed by consumer expert Martin Lewis, could save you hundreds of pounds a year on your food shop.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

WITH winter on the horizon, many of us will be contemplating cranking up the heating to keep our homes warm.

But with energy expenses having been hiked up at the start of October when the price cap rose by 10% – pushing average bills up from £1,568 to £1,717 – if you do notch up the thermostat, this will come at a cost.

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The good news is, there’s a budget-friendly way to keep your home cosy this winter.

This is according to Laura Court-Jones, an energy expert at comparison site, Bionic, who has come up with a simple and affordable insulation tip – caulk.

She told The Sun: “Using caulk to seal gaps is an easy way to save money on heating bills by closing off the spots where warm air escapes and cold air creeps in.”

This flexible material, commonly used by decorators, can be used to seal air leaks through small cracks, gaps or joints.

At Wickes, you can pick up a 300ml tube for £1.30. Caulk is also on sale at B&Q for £1.50.

Ms Court-Jones said: “Caulk is an affordable sealant that, when used correctly, can make a big difference to your home’s comfort.

This is an effective way to keep draughts at bay.

For me, this product is a bit of a no-brainer.”

Rather than turning up the thermostat, caulk will mean you can lower bills by keeping the cold out – and the warmth in.

Figures suggest using caulk could help you reduce bills by between 5% and 10% a year, translating into potential savings of around £150.

Laura said: “You simply apply it to gaps around windows and doors to keep out chilly draughts.

This should mean you can use your heating more sparingly.”

The key to successfully using caulk to save money on your bills lies in applying it correctly.

First off, you need to ensure the surface where you plan to use it is clean, dry and smooth.

If there is any old caulk residue already there, remove this first.

If not, it can be difficult to get the new caulk to adhere properly.

You can scrape this away with a utility knife.

Alternatively, you could look at buying caulk remover solution.

Once you’re ready to go, you need to create a so-called caulk bead at the tip of your tube, and then simply apply the adhesive to any gaps to seal them.

The best approach is to start small and increase this later if you need to.

After applying it, you can then use the back of a plastic spoon – or your fingers – to smooth the bead so you have an even seal.

Be patient, as the caulk needs time to dry before you embark on painting over it.

By waiting several days, you can be sure of a lasting and airtight seal.

Laura said: “Once it’s dry, caulk forms a protective barrier against air leaks, helping to keep your home cosy – and reducing the amount of energy needed for heating.”

As an added bonus, caulk can also work as a defence against mould damage.

It does this by preventing moisture from seeping into walls and floors.

When choosing your caulk, look for silicone or acrylic-latex product with mould resistance.

Also be aware that even though decorator’s caulk is usually white, it can be stained to match your interiors if you so wish.

More simple energy-saving hacks

Using caulk to block draughts is not Laura’s only tip to keep a lid on bills.

She has come up with a host of other ‘quick wins’ to help make your home cosy – and more energy efficient.

“Another easy way to save money is by laying rugs and by hanging thermal curtains or blinds,” said the energy aficionado.

“Soft furnishings such as these can all add an extra layer of insulation, keeping heat in and cold out.”

When shopping for rugs, Dunelm has some great options from around £30.

Laura is also a big fan of fabric draught excluders for gaps under your doors.

She said: “These are great at preventing cold air from entering and heat from escaping.”

You can pick up a draught excluder relatively cheaply.

At Tesco, you can buy one for £11 while at Asda, prices start from £12.

Better still, why not fashion your own so you don’t have to fork out at all.

A simple way to do this is by stuffing rags into the legs of an old pair of tights.

Old towels placed at the bottom of your doors can also do the trick.

While you’re at it, don’t forget that letterboxes and keyholes can also let cold air in.

Think about getting a letterbox brush as well as metal keyhole covers to keep the heat in and the chilly air out.

If you have a cat flap that blows open, consider buying a magnetic flap, as this will solve the draught problem – while still allowing your pet to come and go.

Another simple hack from Laura involves maximising natural daylight when you can.

“The days may be getting shorter, but there’s still plenty of hours during the day when you can open blinds and curtains and let sunlight in,” she said.

“This will heat your living space naturally, meaning you don’t have to turn your heating on as much.”

The energy-saving pro also recommends hanging mirrors opposite windows.

She said: “This can reflect and distribute sunlight, enhancing brightness and warmth throughout your room.”

Finally, Laura reminds households to switch off lights and appliances.

She said: “This may sound simple, but doing this can help reduce your energy bills, especially in winter.”

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

IF you think trading cards are just for kids and teenagers, you’d be sorely mistaken – they’re big business and could earn you thousands of pounds.

The Brighton Football Card and Memorabilia Show is one of the biggest in the country and is attended by more than 40 different vendors and football trading card collectors – and it’s a great place to make a mint.

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As an avid football fan, I’ve often considered delving into trading cards.

Football stickers have undergone a resurgence in recent years, with both kids and adult footie fans keen to finish their albums as quickly as possible.

As the event was right on my doorstep, I thought it would be a great time to test the waters.

But, I found out quickly that I had a lot to learn and that if I wanted to get my hands on one of the top cards, I’d have to fork out a small fortune.

Most of the items up for grabs at the show were worth thousands of pounds, with some on offer for an eye-watering sum of £12,000.

Even more interestingly, Kevin Hawthorne, owner and founder of Uncle Fora Sports Cards and co-founder of the show, said it’s possible for someone to have a card of this value hiding in their collection.

Kevin said: “I’m always finding old boxes of cards and stickers in my storage that I forget about.

“I then look up prices of what these items are selling for, and it never ceases to me amaze me how much the values increase”.

Kevin took up the hobby 37 years ago and now has around one million cards.

The crown jewel in his collection is a Panini Bobby Moore card from 1963.

He said: “It is a very, very early sticker for Bobby Moore and really quite rare to find, especially in this great condition.

“Because it’s so old, so rare and so hard to find in this kind of condition, it’s still really valuable.

“A card like this sold for about £2,000 not so long ago.

“This particular one would sell for between £650 and £800.”

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Among the most valuable cards at the show was a rare Cristiano Ronaldo card from his early days at Sporting Lisbon.

It has been valued at up to £2,000.

The Portuguese International seemed to be the name on everyone’s lips at the showcase, with another of his cards also attracting attention.

A one-of-a-kind Ronaldo card from the 2018/19 Panini collection was valued at £12,000 – making it one of the most expensive there.

‘There are so many new collectors’

TIM Lau from Hong Kong joined got into card collecting as a hobby three years ago.

He said: “There was not such a big scene in Hong Kong, but there has been a boom in interest since Covid.

“There are so many new collectors that were stuck at home and I was one of them.

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“I am a big football fan, and that is why I found this really interesting; instead of other investments like crypto, I like physical items like cards.

“I mostly like to collect the rookie fist cards, which are the first ones of players in their careers.”

How to spot a rare and valuable card in your collection

The popularity of collecting and swapping stickers show no signs of slowing down.

But some stickers – especially older ones in good condition – can sometimes sell for hefty sums.

Cards and other items can see their value increase and decrease through the process of grading.

The system ranks cards from one to ten, with the higher number typically meaning the better condition of the card.

However, for some vintage cards, a lower number may be more acceptable due to its age.

The Sun spoke to grader Aaron Clarke, 36, from The Grading Club, at the event and asked him to give his top tips for spotting the best cards.

He said: “When assessing a card, there are four major criteria that Grading companies will look at.

“The first is the centring, which is how central the subject of the card is. It’s usually easy to tell by looking at the card’s border.

“The second thing they check is the corners to see if there is any damage.

“The third thing they will look at is the edges to see if there is any damage or whitening.

“And the fourth one is about the surface of the card – scratches or marks will affect the grade.”

Aaron also revealed that there is a “hidden” element that look out for – this is called eye appeal.

He added: “Are your eyes drawn to anything? Are there any marks? Is the centring really off? That can also affect the final grade of a card.”

It’s important to remember that you aren’t guaranteed to fetch huge amounts if you do choose to sell your stickers, as prices can fluctuate based on a number of factors.

For example, demand at the time you come to sell and how common it is in circulation can affect its value.

And remember that anyone can list a sticker on eBay and charge whatever amount they wish, but it’s only ever worth what someone is willing to pay.

So, looking at listing prices isn’t necessarily a reflection of what the are actually selling for.

Do you have a money problem that needs sorting? Get in touch by emailing money-sm@news.co.uk.

Plus, you can join our Sun Money Chats and Tips Facebook group to share your tips and stories

THE NATWEST mobile banking app is down leaving customers unable to get access to their money.

Over 500 people have complained about the issue, according to Down Detector a website which monitors outages.

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Customers have taken to X, formally known as Twitter, to raise the issue with the bank.

One user wrote: “@Natwest your app isnt working – what is the eta for it to be back on line.”

While another said: “NatWest app is down again, please report it to your IT  teams. This is happening too frequently.”

A thrid added: “@NatWest_Help can you sort out your app? It’s becoming annoying now.”

NatWest responded to customers and said there is “no timescale” for how long it will take for the issue to resolve.

They added: “The team will be working to resolve this ASAP.”

The Sun has contacted NatWest for comment.

Customers at the bank reported a similar issue back in October and in August and May.

The tech issue comes as a blow to the millions of customers unable to get their hands on cash ahead of the weekend.

The firm, which has over 19million customers, has slashed its portfolio of in-person sites in recent years as customers increasingly favour digital banking.

Can I claim compensation for an outage?

Banks aren’t obliged to pay compensation to customers if there’s been an outage or if they’ve experienced technical issues.

But you might be entitled to some money back depending on how much the disruption affected you.

You’ll have to present evidence of how the outage negatively impacted you, including any extra costs incurred through late payment fees for instance.

You should make a note of when you were unable to access the services and the names of the people you spoke to at the bank that suffered the outage.

If your bank doesn’t resolve your complaint, you can take your case to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

It is an independent body which will resolve any issues based on what it thinks is “fair and reasonable” depending on the circumstances of the case.

The service can resolve your issue over the phone, by email or post depending on what best suits you.

In the case of an IT system outage at a bank, the FOS says any compensation you may receive will be dependent on your circumstances and whether you lost any money as a result.

If it finds the bank was at fault, you may see any fees, charges or fines reimbursed.