To apply, residents must provide basic financial information, including a recent bank statement, most recent energy bills and an estimate of their monthly income and expenses, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Read said the council had committed more than £1 million to the Household Support Fund this winter “to deliver more crisis payments to more residents than ever before”.

“No matter your age, if you can’t pay your gas or electricity bills this winter, please contact us and see if our crisis plan can help you,” he said.

The council spokesman added that additional support was available through the government’s pension loan scheme for residents aged 66 and over.

Other financial support is also available for working-age, low-income people and their families, they said.

This included council tax top-up payments for eligible residents and free school meals for school-aged children during the winter school holidays.

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