Cost of living support and information
Information, support and advice to help you with the cost of living
We’ve put together some of the issues that our surveyed customers suggested that they were struggling with last year and included information from recent changes that the government have made.
Welfare Benefits:
Check your entitlement to welfare benefits, you can be working and entitled to additional support so don’t let that stop you checking.
Spending plans:
Planning your spending can help you to look at where you can save. The first vital step in taking control of your finances is to create your own personal budget plan. Our user friendly budget planner is free to use and should only take minutes to complete if you have all your financial information to hand.
Priority bills must continue to be paid, these include:
- rent
- council tax
- gas and electricity
- TV license etc
Check if you have any priority debts
Debts:
If you are worried about debts, there are agencies to speak to for free debt advice Speaking to a trained and experienced debt adviser about your situation can help you see what the best decision for you might be.
Fuel or energy worries:
Groundwork’s Green Doctors can help with saving money on energy costs and staying warm and well.
The Wise Group Home Energy Advice Team can support with the most efficient way to heat your home and reduce costs.
Are you on the best tariff? Check online at www.moneysavingexpert.com/energy/ or use a switching site, some sites have different offers so get as many prices as possible using one of the following links:
- https://www.comparethemarket.com/energy/
- https://www.uswitch.com/gas-electricity/
- https://www.confused.com/gas-electricity
- https://www.comparethemarket.com/energy/
- https://www.moneysupermarket.com/gas-and-electricity/
Information about fuel allowances and eligibility
- Warm Home Discount - £150 towards your energy costs paid to your electricity account. Check if you're eligible for the Warm Home Discount
- Winter Fuel Payment - £200 - £300 to help with energy costs and paid directly to the claimant automatically. Check if you're eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment
- Cold Weather Payments - £25 paid to claimant when average weather in the area is below 0 degrees Celsius or below for a 7 day period. Check if you're eligible for the Cold Weather Payment
Food:
Planning each meal, batch cooking and shopping with a list can help to save money. Some helpful sites with easy recipes, shopping lists and even social media videos to help you cook include:
- www.tamingtwins.com/category/collections/meal-plans/
- www.bbc.co.uk/food/articles/budget_family_meal_plan_for_four
Finding local affordable food can help to make your money go further. Lower cost food pantries could help you to lower your food costs.
Free school meals can save on average £400 per year per child, check if you are eligible and apply for free school meals
TV, Telephone and Broadband:
Social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people claiming Universal Credit, Pension Credit and some other benefits. Some providers call them ‘essential’ or ‘basic’ broadband. Take a look at the list of available tariffs.
Speak to your provider and ask for a better deal, haggling is the new trend!
Water
Did you know Gentoo can apply to Northumbrian Water for a Water Rate Reduction for those on a low income or welfare benefits? If you don’t already get a reduction, get in touch with your Neighbourhood Coordinator or the Money Matters Team for help to apply.
Council Tax
Your Council Tax bill can be reduced through Council Tax Reduction or if you have certain circumstances (i.e. Single Person Discount, Disabled, Students etc).
Find out if you're eligible for Council Tax discounts, exemptions, or relief
Make a claim to Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support
Rent
A benefit check is the best way to make sure you are maximising your income. The eligible rent is the amount you pay not including the water and sewerage.
If you are worried about this, please speak to your Neighbourhood Coordinator.
Improving income through work
Our benefit check will show you how earning more will impact any income you already have. Remember, school age children 16 – 18 can work and will not pay any tax. If they are in full time education (this does not include apprenticeships) the parents’ welfare benefits will not be impacted. So, your child can help by getting a part time job and it will help to build their skills too.
Out of Work? The Wise Group might be able to help to get you in the right place to start to look for work.
In work? Talk to your employer about in work apprenticeships to develop your skills and get you moving up the ladder.
Develop your skills through free online courses or adult learning courses.
https://sunderlandcollege.ac.uk/courses/adult-learning/
Arrange a course in your workplace through The Sunderland Skills and Inclusion Programme (SSIP).