Cambridgeshire County Council has announced it will soon extend its Household Support Fund (HSF) as part of measures to help families through the cost of living crisis.

The HSF was launched in November to help residents pay their food and energy bills, and has already supported over 35,000 people.

Over £2.3m has been handed out in vouchers and a further £367,000 in non-voucher support.

And the council is set to announce an extension to the fund, with residents urged to get in touch as soon as possible if they are struggling to make ends meet.

It has also shared details of other organisations and schemes available across the county, including support for families with children and advice on energy or broadband tariffs.

Cllr Lucy Nethsingha, leader of Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “We know this is an intensely difficult time, with even more people struggling with the cost of living right now.

“Even with the energy bill ‘cap’ which came into effect over the weekend, bills have risen out of all proportion to where they were even last winter.”

She added support includes making sure residents are claiming everything they are entitled to, are aware of social tariffs offered by major energy and broadband suppliers and are offered help with their debt management and employment opportunities.

Schemes aimed at helping with energy bills include The Cambridgeshire Home Energy Support Services (CHESS), which supports households in Fenland, Huntingdonshire, East Cambs and Cambridge City.

Households in South Cambs can contact a similar service from the Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP).

Families with children receiving free school meals will continue to get £15 vouchers per child per week during the half term and Christmas holidays. These will be sent out directly.

Over the coming weeks, district and city councils will be identifying warm spaces for the public to use such as libraries and other public buildings.

Cllr Elisa Meschini, the council's deputy leader, explained much of this information is on the Cambridgeshire County Council website.

She said: “But for those people not online we would encourage them to get in touch in person or by phone as we want to make sure that those in the most difficult situations are not left out of being able to access available sources of help."