If you are an individual who is in need of support with the cost of living, please get in touch with any of the following organisations who may be able to help you. We regularly update this page.
Download Cost of Living Resources for Individuals documentIf you were born on or before 25 September 1956 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills. To apply, please visiting: https://www.gov.uk/winter-fuel-payment/
Overall government support for the cost of living: factsheet – lists all Gov support packages and includes who can apply for what.
The telephone number to call to make a New Style Employment and Support Allowance new claims is changing. From 12 September 2022 the telephony number to call will be 0800 055 6688. This line will be open 8am to 5pm to align with Working Age. This is a shared line, with New Style Employment and Support Allowance joining New Style Job Seekers Allowance and Maternity Allowance New claims. Once connected to the line, callers will be given all three options to choose from. Find out how to claim here: https://www.gov.uk/employment-support-allowance/how-to-claim/
The Benefits Calculator will work out what you’re due in low-income support. It will also flag up some (but not all) relevant non-means-tested benefits that depend on circumstances such as your health. See the list below for a full rundown of what’s available.
A national charity offering free advice, Turn2Us connects those struggling financially with the help that’s available. Their resources include a benefits calculator to check someone’s eligibility for government support, a database of grants and a helpline to seek advice – view their website, here: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/
For those struggling with debt on top of this crisis, Step Change offers free advice, linking those struggling with financial support and respite periods to cope with the stress of debt. For more information, please visit their website.
National charity, supporting individuals, the self-employed and small businesses to manage their money and deal with debt. They offer training and consultancy services, having supported over 170,000 people in 2021. For more information, please visit their website
This UK charity helps vulnerable and disadvantaged people struggling with their energy bills. As well as offering advice and support, they lobby the government to improve policies to tackle energy poverty. View their website here.
Grants available for those struggling with their energy bills. You do not have to be a British Gas customer. Grants over £1500 only in exceptional circumstances. View their website here.
For those wondering how to make their home energy efficient, the Energy Saving Trust is a reliable source of advice. From roof insulation to using your thermostat most effectively, the charity can explain how best to cut your energy use and therefore, also your bills. View their website here.
Acorn is the national renters union for people in the UK. Tenants gain access to a network of people willing to support one another. For those facing the prospect of eviction or extreme rent increases, the union can help by challenging any such injustices. Additionally, they host a range of talks offering in-depth advice about renting. View their website here.
Links to a wide range of support for Londoners including grants and funding, local welfare assistance, homelessness, food banks, baby banks and fuel banks, help for survivors of abuse, including financial abuse, help for migrant Londoners and mental health. View their website here.
Support with a wide range of services, from cook ups, offering a fully equipped kitchen for people to cook meals, to funeral support and financial advice networks. View their website here.
All local authorities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales, and some in England have schemes in place to help parents and carers shoulder the cost of school uniforms. Grants up to £200. View their website here.
Housing Consultancy. Tailored support including research, evaluations and strategies to help your organisation review your services, embed best practice and become financially resilient. View their website here.
Becoming a member of London Renters Union unites you with a community of people who can support renting injustices. They stand in solidarity with all their members and will support you against renting injustices such as threat of eviction, stolen deposits or disrepair. View their website here.
