Cost of living: Newcastle-under-Lyme families receive slow cookers

If the pilot works in Newcastle, the council hopes to extend the scheme to other parts of the county

Slow cookers are being handed out to families to help with the cost-of-living crisis.

Staffordshire County Council will give 1,400 cookers to vulnerable households around Newcastle-under-Lyme.

The trial is part of the authority's "here to help" campaign that provides information, advice and support on managing rising bills.

The authority said if the pilot was successful, it might be rolled out to other areas of the county.

The cookers are intended to encourage food-budgeting this winter. To stretch out provisions, families will be given slow cooker recipes to help "make the most out of their weekly shop".

The money for the cookers has come from the council's Household Support Fund.

County councillor Mark Sutton, cabinet member for children and young people, said of the rollout: "With the cost of living rising, we know that many people will struggle especially during the winter months."

Families and individuals must be known to council services to qualify to receive the items.

They include care leavers, Aspire Housing tenants, school pupils in certain areas, and people with learning disabilities.