South Hams District Council is warning residents to be aware of a scam relating to The Household Support Fund.

The Household Support Fund is a fixed amount of money given with no expectation to be paid back. They are used to support households in the most need with food, energy, water bills or similar expenses.

A spokesperson for SHDC said: “These are not loans, so you should take care not to be scammed into applying for these. If you have any doubt at all, they can contact the Benefits Team to check at [email protected].”

You can apply online for the Household Support Fund, by visiting SHDCs website or calling: 01803 861234

If you think that you may have been scammed, report it to Action Fraud by calling 0300 123 2040.

For advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline - 0808 223 1133.

If you have given your bank details to a scammer contact your bank immediately.