Financial Support

Benefits

Check to see if you are claiming benefits that you may be entitled to:

Benefits Calculator

Broadband

If you're a low-income family, you could be eligible for a discounted broadband service.

Low-cost broadband deals (superfastessex.org)

Citizens Advice Tendring

Citizens Advice Tendring (cabtendring.org)

Childcare Costs

Families can sign up to Tax-Free Childcare to help pay for holiday clubs, before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, and other approved childcare schemes. It is available to families with children up to the age of 11, or 17 if their child has a disability.

Tax-Free Childcare - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Debt Advice - Citizens Advice

Help with debt - Citizens Advice

Food

Find a Food Bank - The Trussell Trust

Ways to save food and Save Money

Love Food Hate Waste

Furniture

N.E.S.T. - North Essex Support Team - Support Harwich

Help to pay rent or Council Tax

Apply for help to pay rent or council tax

Help with Grants – Citizens Advice

Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills - Citizens Advice

Help During School Holidays

The Department for Education has provided Essex County Council with funding in order to deliver the holiday activity and food programme (HAF) across Essex during the 2022 Easter, summer and Christmas school holidays.

Essex Activate | Active Essex

School Uniforms

The Free School Uniform Project (dnanetworks.org)

Stay in Control of your Money- First Right of Appropriation

When you pay money into your account, you have the right to tell the bank how you want that money to be used. Therefore you must inform them how you want the money to be used at the time of payment. If you don’t give your bank instructions at the time of payment then they may decide how the money should be used.

Stay in control of your money - First Right of Appropriation

Support from Banks

BANK SUPPORT for COST OF LIVING RISES

Water

Helping with the Cost of Living Crisis

Travel

Some bus companies in the East of England are continuing with the £2 bus fare cap, find if your route is included.

Gov.uk - £2 bus fare cap

Accessing financial support if you use home oxygen equipment

With the rising cost of living, please remember, you can be reimbursed for the electricity used by your oxygen concentrator.

Click here for information on how to access financial support whilst utilising oxygen.

You are also entitled to join the priority services register with your energy supplier which includes:

  • Priority support in an emergency
  • Being informed of planned power cuts

Please contact your energy supplier to arrange this if not already in place.

Please see links from OFGEM and Asthma and Lung UK for further information

Help with your heating costs | Asthma + Lung UK (blf.org.uk)

Get help from your supplier - Priority Services Register | Ofgem

Help with your TV Licence

The Simple Payment Plan was created for those in financial difficulty. Qualifying customers can choose from either a fortnightly or monthly payment plan that spreads the cost of a TV Licence over 12 months, this means you make smaller payments more frequently, helping you to better manage your finances. TV Licensing accepts referrals to the Simple Payment Plan from not-for-profit organisations such as charities or your local authority money advice department. It cannot accept referrals from commercial organisations.

If you would like to speak to someone about your finances, you can contact your local authority debt advice team or there are many not-for-profit organisations offering free, confidential and independent advice. Any not-for-profit organisation providing this service can refer you to us to join the Simple Payment Plan. Find more information on the simple payment plan and how to access it.
There are other TV licence concessions, which you might be eligible for depending on your circumstances. There are concessions available for:

•    People who are aged 75 or over and receive Pension Credit.
•    People who are blind (severely sight impaired).
•    People who live in qualifying residential care and are disabled or over 60 and retired.

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