Thousands of Islington residents who rent their home are being urged to see if they could claim a one-off £250 payment to help them cover essential living costs.

Renters will need to act fast as the money is being given away on a first-come, first-served basis. The money is available to residents whoever they rent their home from – a private landlord, a housing association or the council.

The one-off grants from Islington Council are intended to help people who are struggling to pay rent and cover all their bills, so conditions apply – residents must be in work and renting their home, and there are limits on total household income and savings. Anyone already receiving help such as Universal Credit or Housing Benefit are not eligible to apply.

All the information about eligibility and instructions on how to apply can be found at islington.gov.uk/help250