Residents across Oldham who have received a one-off voucher to help with their household bills this Christmas have said the scheme is 'useless' as shops are turning them away.

The Household Support Fund is a grant provided by the Department for Work and Pensions to help low-income households during the cost-of-living crisis.

The scheme provides food vouchers for children and young people and gives payments of £60 to carers, disabled residents and housing benefit claimants who are not in receipt of Council Tax reductions.

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However, more than 30 residents from across the borough have told The Oldham Times they are struggling to cash their £60 vouchers in, and fear they will be unable to use them at all before they expire in the first week of January.

The vouchers can only be redeemed via designated PayPoints, however, residents say they are being turned away every time as shops don't have the cash flow to meet the demand - and vulnerable residents are struggling to get to the shops in the first place.

Oldhamers claim some shops won't let them cash out the vouchers for their loved ones and that shopkeepers have told customers they will no longer accept the vouchers as it takes them too long to recuperate the funds.

The scramble to redeem the voucher before Christmas has meant shops have been reportedly overrun by demand, with some rolling out a maximum daily quota of less than 10 per day or putting signs out when the quota has been met.

Residents say some shops have long queues of people waiting before opening time and that "you've got no chance" to cash it before 10am.

Meanwhile, accessing support via Oldham Council's helpline has been "pointless" as it "rings out".

In Royton, Collette Hall said all the corner shops turned her mother away before Asda "saved the day" but slammed the scheme as "unfair".

She said: "My mum is in receipt of PIP and has me to help out, but not everyone is in the same boat.

"The voucher has to be cashed out by 7th January, so I thought that was also unfair."

Similarly, three women in Royton said it took their loved ones at least three attempts - and for Beverley Baker, it took 10 tries across a weekend.

For Gemma Louise, it took a staggering six trips to collect the funds for her disabled 94-year-old relative and said the helpline "was not very helpful".

Ms Louise added: "I think it needs to be managed a lot better than it has been as they don't pay the shops back right away, so there's a wait and the smaller shops can't afford the hit."

A mother in Chadderton said she only received the 'school voucher' this week and was hoping to use it for the Christmas food shop. 

She said: "It seems those with disabled children are the last to be sent out.

"Who wants to go last-minute Christmas shopping with children who can't cope in that environment with how busy it is, let alone a few days before Christmas?

"Very poorly planned out."

Another parent agreed: "It's hard. You need help feeding kids over the holidays which is the whole point of the vouchers."

Many in receipt of the support have a disability which makes physically getting to the PayPoints difficult, including an 80-year-old woman who has fractured vertebrae and can't use a wheelchair to get out.

Michelle Trevor, from Chadderton, has mobility issues and was similarly turned away as he said the shops reached their PayPoint limit of £3,000 for the day.

She added: "It's not worth the paper it's written on."

Other residents have been relying on family members and even neighbours to help them, including a 92-year-old woman and an 85-year-old man, the children of whom both asked why the money wasn't paid into a nominated bank account this year.

Steve Thorley added: "The shops should make sure they have provisions in place.

"Luckily, (my dad) has me to help him find a place to redeem it for him, but what if someone has nobody to help?"

Rebecca Hibberd agreed: "It's not right. They should have put money straight into bank accounts so the elderly aren't running around trying to sort vouchers out."

Another woman said her disabled mum was told they could help her with gas and electric but refused to give her cash.

She added: "If I didn't drive, she would have had to use around £60 in taxi fares to get all around the shops."

As a result, Norma Rudd described the vouchers as a "waste of time" while Bernadette Patterson said it was "hard work".

Others have been forking out for taxi fares and, in what appears to be a discrepancy across the borough, some shops have been refusing relatives and even carers from collecting the cash.

Yvonne Panton, a support worker and carer, said she took a patient to five PayPoint shops to no avail.

Suzy Turner in Waterhead said: "It's got to be the worst idea Oldham Council have had by using the PayPoints, especially as you don't have a long time to cash it.

"I'm eternally grateful for the extra help but it needs more thought in regards to cashing them.

"The shops are getting frustrated and who can blame them when people are getting angry with them?

"It's not their fault they don't have that kind of cash on the premises, plus most people pay by card."

Diana Jakeway added: "They're worthless and being given to disabled people, many of whom can't get out, and can't get the money.

"What were you thinking Oldham Council?"

Elizabeth Hefferman who lives in Fitton Hill, said pensioners are just "left to get on with it".

Councillor Abdul Jabbar, Cabinet member for finance and corporate resources said: “We sympathise with residents frustrations at not being able to cash their household support fund vouchers at PayPoints.

"We know this is a vital payment for many people so we’ve been working closely with PayPoint to try and resolve the issue as quickly as possible."

The councillor admitted the problem has come as some sites do not have enough cash to pay out the funds.

He continued: "PayPoint have now confirmed with us that they are speaking to their outlets to remind them how to request a cash float which should remedy the situation.

"In the meantime, PayPoint outlets based at larger stores for example some supermarkets are not having the same issues so we advise residents to try these as an option if possible.

"A full list of locations can be found on the PayPoint website."

The Council also said if residents are unable to cash their vouchers before they expire, it would extend the eligibility period.

However, it said it was unable to pay people directly as "the council do not hold the bank accounts of all residents eligible".

Have you got a story? Get in touch Olivia.bridge@newsquest.co.uk or DM me on Twitter @Livbridge