Fears families may go hungry after voucher delay

Stockport Council said it was "working hard" to tackle the delays

Fears are growing that families could go hungry after delays to a council's voucher support scheme.

Some residents in Stockport have complained they have not received the email vouchers for the period up to 30 September.

The payments are sent to qualifying families to help pay for essentials such as energy bills, school uniforms and food.

A spokesman for Stockport Council said it was aware of the delays and was "working tirelessly" to ensure families were supported as soon as possible.

'Worried'

The vouchers are given to those with children who receive free school meals, local council tax support, or housing benefit, and can be exchanged for £105 in cash for each eligible child at post offices.

Residents have told the Local Democracy Reporting Service the email vouchers had been delayed sparking concerns about families going hungry.

Nicola, 43, from Offerton, had not received her voucher, and said the council was asking worried residents to fill in a form and wait 14 days for a response.

"Everyone I've spoken to says they don't have them and they've checked their spam inbox but it's not there either," she said.

"People are really worried about it, we're being fobbed off and people could be starving in 14 days."

The date on when the vouchers can be redeemed has been changed as a result of the delays, the council spokesman said.

Those who have not yet received the tokens have been urged to wait until 12 August before contacting the council, he added.

Despite the delays, more than half of the council's 15,000 vouchers have already been redeemed.