Aid offers have been prioritised in an action plan formed to tackle poverty in Moray.
It is estimated that more than 3,000 children in the area are living in financial hardship, which represents about 17% of the population.
And studies have found that one in four employees in Moray are earning less than the real living wage in Scotland of £9 per hour.
The council’s poverty plan sets out 18 priority groups including lone parents, large families and care leavers with 20 possible offers of aid including childcare, affordable housing and energy efficient homes.
Food bank Moray Food Plus has also reported unprecedented demand during the last year as applications for assistance have surged by 55% from the previous 12 months.
Aaron McLean, chairman of the authority’s policy and resources committee, said: “It’s unacceptable that nearly half of households in Moray are experiencing fuel poverty, and more than 2,000 people sought help from Moray Food Plus last year.
“We want to make sure that Moray is a great place to live for everyone, and that means working with our partners to take robust action to reduce poverty across the region.”
Action plan to eradicate poverty in Moray includes offers of assistance
