Pensioners who qualify for a council tax reduction are to get a little extra help with shopping bills this winter.

Staffordshire County Council is contacting 21,000 eligible households to offer a supermarket voucher for £125. Once claimed, the vouchers can be used at most major supermarkets including Tesco, ALDI and Sainsburys. Vouchers can also be split between supermarkets.

The money is part of the Household Support Fund, and is designed to help with Cost of Living pressures especially food and fuel cost.

To be eligible for a voucher, households must be in receipt of a council tax reduction and a state pension.

The moves are all part of a package of measures to help people deal with the increased costs of living this winter. Other measures include central heating and insulation help through Staffordshire Warmer Homes, support for holiday activities (HAF), and a scheme where IT equipment is donated to those deemed financially vulnerable.

Staffordshire County Council Cabinet Member for Children and Young People Mark Sutton said: "With the price rises in food and energy bills, we know this winter will be difficult for some. This is why we've chosen to use some of the Household Support Fund to help pensioners in receipt of a council tax reduction with their food and fuel costs.

"Around 21,000 households in the county will benefit from this extra help with their shopping bills, which we hope will go some way to helping low-income households with the rising cost of living. There is a lot of support out there to help residents, and coupled with the other initiatives we and our partners will be running over the coming months, we hope this will make some difference to household bills this winter."