Cost of living support in Fenland

Find out what support is available to help with the cost of living

The quickest way we can help is to speak with you about your circumstances.

Just call 01354 654321 or make an appointment to see an advisor - we're always here to help.

Where you can turn for advice

Fenland District Council. We have trained advisors ready to connect you to the support you need, when you need it. Call 01354 654321 or make an appointment to see us.
Citizens Advice Rural Cambs: Provides free, confidential help and advice with debt, money, benefits, tax credits, housing and employment. Contact 0808 278 7807 or visit their website for more information and to use their online chat service.
StepChange: A dedicated charity offering free, confidential debt advice and money guidance. Call 0800 138 1111 or visit their website.
MoneyHelper. Produced by the Government's Money and Pensions Service, MoneyHelper provides free, impartial guidance on money and pensions. Call 0800 138 7777 or visit their website.
National Debtline: Provides free, independent, and confidential advice about debt. Call 0808 808 4000 or visit their website.
Business Debtline: Run by the Money Advice Trust, Business Debtline can help those who are self-employed or have small businesses. Call 0800 197 6026 or visit their website.
Turn2Us: Helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. Visit their website.
Christians Against Poverty (CAP): Provides free advice on debt, budgeting, job seeking and making your money go further. Visit the CAP website or call 0800 328 0006.
Debt Advice Foundation: A specialist debt charity offering free, confidential advice on any aspect of debt. Call 0800 043 40 50 or visit its website

Cost of Living fairs

Everyone is welcome to attend one of our Cost of Living fairs.

The events are informal and friendly - stroll stalls and pick up information. Enjoy free tea / coffee and cake.

Discover advice on:

managing energy costs
grants available to you
benefits
support you're entitled to and might be missing out on.

Drop in between 10am and 1pm, at:

Whittlesey, Friday, November 15 at Whittlesey Town Council offices, Peel House, 8 Queen Street, Whittlesey, PE7 1AY,
Wisbech, Monday, November 18, at The Oasis Community Centre, St Michael's Avenue, Wisbech, PE13 3NR
Chatteris, Monday, November 25, at The King Edward Centre, 3 King Edward Road, Chatteris, PE16 6NG

The events are in association with Cambridgeshire County Council.

Community Hubs Network

Community Hubs provide a safe and friendly environment to enjoy free refreshments and social activities, obtain information and advice, and share the company of others.

They are free and open to everyone.

Find dates, times and Fenland venues at the Cambridgeshire Acre website.

Financial support

Additional support from the Government

There is a range of support available from the Government to help with the cost of living. This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

Visit the Government's cost of living webpages for more information.

Council Tax and Benefits

Benefits: Check if you're entitled to benefits by using a free benefits calculator. This could include Universal Credit, Disability and Carer's' benefits, Pension credit, help with childcare costs and Working from Home Allowance.
Council Tax Reduction/Housing Benefit: If you need help to pay your Council Tax or rent, you may be eligible for a Council Tax Reduction and/or Housing Benefit. Apply online or phone 01354 654321.
Discretionary Housing Payments: If you rent your home and claim Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit, then Discretionary Housing Payments can provide help with rent or housing costs. Apply online or phone 01354 654321.
Budgeting Loan: You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you have been on certain benefits for six months. You will have to pay back the amount you borrow; repayments are taken automatically from your benefits. Apply online or phone 0800 169 0140 to ask for a paper form to be posted to you.
Hardship Payment: If you're on Universal Credit and you do not have enough to live on while you wait for your first payment, you can ask for an advance payment after you've made a claim. You can also ask for a hardship payment if you cannot pay for rent, heating or food because you received a sanction. You need to pay it back through your Universal Credit payments - they'll be lower until you pay it back.

Help with travel costs

Rail travel: You could save up to a third on train fares with a railcard. If you're on Universal Credit you may be eligible for a Jobcentre Plus Travel Discount Card for up to 50% off.
Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS): If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs.

Help with childcare costs

Visit the Government's Family Support webpage for information on help with the costs of childcare and bringing up children.
Cambridgeshire Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) Programme offers holiday scheme places for free during the Easter, Summer and Christmas school holidays to eligible primary and secondary school children and young people.
Family Fund: The fund provides families raising a disabled, or seriously ill, child on low incomes with wide-ranging grants for essential items.
Cambridgeshire Holiday Voucher Scheme (CHVS): helps eligible families with food costs in school holidays.

Help with health costs

Check your eligibility for free help from the NHS for example, prescriptions, dental or glasses.
A Personal Health Budget (PHB) is an amount of NHS money allocated to meet your health and wellbeing needs if you are eligible to receive it. You will be able to plan your care and use your budget to buy services and equipment that best meet your needs and help you maintain your independence.
Healthcare Travel Costs Scheme (HTCS): If you're referred to hospital or other NHS premises for specialist NHS treatment or diagnostic tests by a doctor, dentist or another primary care health professional, you may be able to claim a refund of reasonable travel costs.

Household Support Fund

If you're struggling with essential household costs, you may be able to get help through the Household Support Fund (HSF)

Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS)

The Cambridgeshire Local Assistance Scheme can provide information, advice and practical support and assistance in times of exceptional pressure. You may be eligible for a CLAS award, which can be in the form of supermarket vouchers, energy vouchers, new cookers, or recycled white goods and furniture. Visit the CLAS website for more information.

Help with energy bills

PECT Energy Advice

Fenland District Council has teamed up with energy advice organisation PECT to offer Fenland residents free help and advice on how to make their homes warmer, cheaper to run and more energy efficient. Their advice service can provide information on energy tariffs, details about grant funding for home energy improvements, and free small energy-saving measures. To take advantage of the service, call 0800 8021773 (ext. 313), or email: energyadvice@pect.org.uk. For more information and to use an online referral form, visit the PECT website.

Action on Energy Cambridgeshire

Through our Action on Energy scheme, run in partnership with neighbouring councils, we provide grants to help households install energy efficiency improvements and low carbon heating.

Grants are available to homeowners, private renters and private landlords.

You can find more information and check eligibility requirements on the Action on Energy website.

To register your interest in the grant scheme, please use the online contact form or call 01223 457340.

Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP)

LEAP is a free advice service, offering energy tariff comparisons, installing simple energy saving measures (like LED lightbulbs and radiator reflector panels), and giving referrals to more complex energy saving measures. Book an appointment or call free 0800 060 7567.

Priority Services Register

All energy suppliers have a Priority Services Register, which is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. Contact your energy supplier to find out more.

British Gas Energy Support Fund

If you are a British Gas customer, then you may be eligible for a grant of up to £1500. In addition to this, an Individuals & Families fund also offers grants to anyone with energy debt between £250 and £750, including those who are not British Gas customers. Information is available on the British Gas website.

Scope

Scope, the disability equality charity in England and Wales, offers free energy and water advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy and water needs. The service is open to any disabled person or households where 1 or more disabled people live. Call 0808 801 0828 or visit the Scope website.

Cold Weather Payments

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you're getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest. You'll get a payment if the average temperature in your area is recorded as, or forecast to be, zero degrees Celsius or below over 7 consecutive days. You'll get £25 for each 7-day period of very cold weather between 1 November and 31 March. You do not need to apply to claim the Cold Weather Payment, it will be paid automatically. More information is available on the GOV.UK website.

Energy Efficiency Tips

Small changes can make a big difference. For example:

Heating: Turning down your thermostat by just one degree can lead to significant savings.
Lightbulbs: Use low energy lightbulbs.
Water: Set your temperature to 60 degrees centigrade and close the door when bathing or showering.
Kitchen: Only boil the water you need in a kettle and put lids on pans when cooking.
Draught-proofing: Block up unwanted gaps that let cold air in and warm air out.
Appliances: Turn off appliances on standby. If you are buying new appliances buy those with the best energy rating you can afford.

Further energy efficiency tips are available on the Energy Saving Trust website. They advise how you can cut down on your energy use to save money and share their quick tips.

Help with food costs

Food and milk vouchers: If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, Healthy Start can provide vouchers to help buy fruit, vegetables, and milk.
Free school meals: If you are in receipt of certain benefits your child may be entitled to free school meals, saving you up to £470 per year per child. This scheme is available for school-age children and to post-16 students at a school with a sixth form or college.
Love Food Hate Waste can advise on how to limit food waste at home.

Foodbanks

Foodbanks are designed to provide short-term, emergency support with food.

Trussell Trust foodbanks: These foodbanks provide emergency food parcels on presentation of a foodbank voucher. Fenland District Council can issue vouchers to those in need - just call 01354 654321 for more information. You can find your nearest Trussell Trust foodbank online.
Whittlesey Emergency Food Aid, located at the Manor Leisure Centre, Whittlesey, can also provide emergency food parcels. For more information, call 07375 143146.

Community Pantries/Fridges

Helping Whittlesey Community Pantry - Redistributes surplus food and household items that would otherwise go to landfill.
March Community Fridge - Redistributes surplus food that would otherwise go to landfill.

Help with household bills

Water

Water bills: If you are struggling to afford your water bill, Anglian Water's Extra Care Support Team can help, with a personalised plan to find the cheapest tariff or a flexible payment plan. For more information, visit the Anglian Water website or call 0800 169 3630.
Save water: Anglian Water also provides advice on how to save water, and in turn money, and you can apply for a water meter too. Visit the Anglian Water website for more information.

Help with managing your budget

Money Saving Expert

The Money Saving Expert website contains articles and tips for saving and managing your money, including:

Please beware of loan sharks who lend money outside the legitimate agreed standards for money collection. You can report a loan shark (in confidence) online.

Support if you are in distress

Samaritans: Offering emotional support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 116 123 for free or visit a Samaritans branch in person.
NHS: For urgent mental health advice (but not a 999 emergency) call 111, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Shout: If you'd prefer to text, text 'SHOUT' to 85258 for free. You'll then be connected to a Mental Health Innovations charity volunteer for an anonymous conversation by text message.
Age UK: Information, advice, and support for older people. Call their Advice Line on 0800 678 1602.
MIND: Provides help and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Call 0300 123 3393.
Anxiety UK: Offers support to anyone affected by anxiety, stress and anxiety based depression. Call 03444 775 774.
Nightline: If you're a student, you can look on the Nightline website to see if your university or college offers a night-time listening service. Nightline phone operators are all students too.

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