Money Worries

Brighton & Hove City Council – Help with food, fuel and other essential costs

Household Support Fund

Extra help is available this winter for households struggling to pay for food, fuel and other essential costs. The funding is part of the government’s Household Support Fund and is available until 31 March 2022. The council can offer vouchers or find another way to help access many essential goods and services.

Help is available for people who are not on benefits, as well as those who are.

To find out more and apply, go to www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/household-support-fund or call the Community Hub on 01273 293117 (option 2).

Disabled Facilities Grant

A wide range of help for older and disabled people, including a Warm Safe Homes Grant, as well as grants to help prevent falls and injury in the home and assist hospital discharge. These are all non-repayable grants with a simple application process.

To apply, contact the Disabled Facilities Grant Team at disabledfacilitiesgrant@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call 01273 294366. For more information about the range of assistance on offer go to www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/adult-social-care/care-and-support-adults/changes-your-home.

For the hospital discharge grant, contact Possability People on 01273 069851 or HDS@possabilitypeople.org.uk

Debt Information Sheet

Local Debt and Money Advice

Money Advice Plus

Specialist debt and benefit advice, casework and support.

01273 664 000

Money Advice Plus | Community Roots

https://www.moneyadviceplus.org.uk

St Lukes Advice Service

Provides free advice, information and help with form filling in relation to debt, benefits and pension credit.

01273 549203

Home – St Luke’s Advice Service

The Financial Support Line for Victims of Domestic Abuse

Financial support for victims of domestic abuse.

01323 635 987

https://www.moneyadviceplus.org.uk/advice-and-support/domestic-abuse-money-education-project/

Possibility People

Disability advice centre can help with disability advice, welfare benefits and a range of other issues. Can help with enquiries about;

Disability benefits (ESA, UC, PIP, AA, Carers Allowance, WTC).

  • Disability benefits appeals
  • Some pension credit enquiries
  • Some Council Tax enquiries
  • Fuel debt or changing fuel providers
  • Utilities debt
  • Information on equipment or assistive technology
  • Accessible holidays
  • Food bank referrals

Advisors are available by telephone, from 10am – 4pm on Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday (closed Wednesdays). 01273 894050.

If you are deaf or had of hearing text us on 07718 42 42 14

Disability advice in Brighton and Hove - Possability People

Moneyworks

Here to help Brighton & Hove residents save money, make money and manage their money better. The services are for anyone who is struggling to make ends meet. Drop-ins and helpline support.

Helpline: 0800 988 7037

Money Advice Brighton & Hove – Helping Brighton & Hove residents manage their money (advicebrighton-hove.org.uk)

Citizens Advice Brighton and Hove

Provide free confidential and impartial advice

08082 78 78 15

Citizens Advice Brighton & Hove

Youth Advice Centre in Brighton

Offers housing advice, family mediation, floating support, advice and support around emotional health and wellbeing and debts and benefits. Budgeting and money management advice and support with benefit claims. Access to specialist benefit advice.

01273 624432

YMCA Youth Advice Centre (YAC) in Brighton - YMCA DownsLink Group (ymcadlg.org)

National Debt and Money Advice

Debt Advice Foundation

Debt advice, tools and resources

0800 043 40 50

Personal Debt Analyser | Debt Advice Foundation

StepChange

Online and telephone free, confidential debt advice

0800 138 1111

StepChange Debt Charity – Free Expert Debt Advice.

National Debtline

Free independent debt advice on the telephone or webchat and offer online tools

0808 808 4000

Digital Advice Tool | National Debtline

Money Advice Service

Offers free and impartial money advice, set up by the government.

Telephone: 0800 138 7777

Type Talk: 18001 0800 915 4622

Whatsapp: 07701 342744

Free and impartial money advice, set up by government – Money Advice Service

Financial Hardship- support and advice

Community Hub

If you need emergency help with food, energy bills and other essentials, please phone 01273 293 117 and select option 1. You will be directed to the Local Discretionary Social Fund.

For queries relating to Covid-19, please phone 01273 293 117 and select option 2. You will be directed to the Community Hub.
 
If you are over 18, require food or shopping related support and can afford to pay for this, please phone 01273 293 117 and select option 3. You will be directed to Food Support at Impact Initiatives 
 
If you need help to stay safe and well, or if you need care and support, please call Access Point on 01273 295 555.

Request help for yourself or someone else (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

Brighton & Hove Food Partnership

A not for profit organisation including community organisations, statutory agencies, local business and individual residents. Offering various community food projects, including community gardens, food sharing, food banks and free or low cost meals.

Brighton and Hove Food Partnership – We’re a non-profit organisation helping people learn to cook, eat a healthy diet, grow their own food and waste less food. (bhfood.org.uk)

Community Roots

Community Roots is a group of sixteen community groups working together to provide prevention, wellbeing and recovery support for people with a range of mental health issues. Support for carers and families is also available.

A Freephone Central Access Point phone number is operated by a team of Community Navigators who can guide people through the support available and provide professional advice.

Self-refer online Tel: 0808 196 1768.

Open Monday to Friday 9-5pm.

Brighton Unemployed Centre Families Project

Provides practical support, education and advice to those in poverty, poor living conditions or low incomes.

01273 671 213

BUCFP

Help with fuel bills (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

How to keep your home warm (brighton-hove.gov.uk)

Impact YPC

City Centre space for drop-in support, affordable meals, activities, counselling, peer support

01273 887886

YPC - Impact Initiatives (impact-initiatives.org.uk)

Help accessing food

Accessing emergency food parcels – Brighton and Hove Food Partnership (bhfood.org.uk)

BHESCo - Advice, home visits and energy saving kit

Brighton & Hove Energy Services Cooperative (BHESCo) can offer free advice on switching and energy consumption to residents who are struggling to pay their energy bills.  They can also carry out free home visits to qualifying households to install energy-saving measures, help in dealings with energy suppliers and give guidance on efficient energy usage in the home.

Contact BHESCo by calling 0800 999 6671 or emailing info@bhesco.co.uk with the subject heading: Energy Advice.

For more information, go to https://bhesco.co.uk/fuel-poverty-energy-bills-brighton-hove.

Southern Water

Help and advice for people struggling to afford water bills, including discounts and support from Southern Water and free, water-saving home visits:

Help with paying your water bill: https://www.southernwater.co.uk/account/help-paying-your-bill

Free, water-saving home visits: https://www.southernwater.co.uk/help-advice/how-to-save-water/water-saving-home-visits

 

LEAP – Advice, home visits and energy saving kit

The Local Energy Advice Partnership (LEAP) is a free advice service helping people keep warm and reduce their energy bills.  LEAP works in partnership with Brighton & Hove City Council and has helped lots of people in the city reduce their energy bills. Advisors can:

  • fit free energy saving kit in your home (such as lightbulbs and draught-proofing)
  • check if you are eligible for insulation or a new boiler
  • give practical advice on heating systems and saving energy
  • help with switching
  • arrange a free money advice consultation to help with benefits, debt and other money problems

To book a free energy advice phone call or home visit for yourself or someone else:

NEA - Warm and Safe Homes Advice Service (WASH)

Free impartial support and advice for vulnerable and low-income customers on energy bills and keeping warm and safe in your home. The service can help with:

  • Support with gas and electricity accounts including fuel debt
  • Warm Home Discount and Priority Service Register
  • Switching suppliers & tariffs
  • Energy efficiency and water rates
  • Trust fund applications
  • Benefits advice and income maximisation

Contact the WASH Advice Service by calling 0800 304 7159, referring online at https://www.nea.org.uk/wash-advice/ or using the chat function on the Facebook page to speak directly to an adviser who can give tailored advice.

NEA can also offer online workshops for at risk groups, providing free, impartial advice on switching, bills, supplier issues, energy debt, grant applications and more. Please contact wash@nea.org.uk or rebecca.jones@nea.org.uk for more information.

ESFRS – Home safety visits

East Sussex Fire and Rescue Service (ESFRS) offer free home safety visits, with specially trained advisors who can offer a range of advice:

  • Falls and accident prevention advice
  • Health and wellbeing discussion and referral
  • Escape routes and bedtime routines
  • Electrical safety and specialist equipment
  • Warm homes advice
  • Scams and security information
  • Fit smoke alarms, carbon monoxide alarms and other specialist equipment

Where needed, referrals will be made to Adult Social Care, fuel poverty advisors, occupational therapy etc.

For further details, call 0800 177 7069 or go to https://www.esfrs.org/your-safety/home-safety-visits/

Free Fire Safety Training Sessions (online or in person) can also be delivered to front line staff/volunteers offering advice, guidance and best practice for fire safety in the home. To book a training session, go to https://www.esfrs.org/your-safety/safer-homes/care-providers-fire-safety-scheme/ (please note although it says care providers it is open to everyone).

Level 3 cold weather alert

The Met Office has issued a Level 3 Cold Weather Alert for England from Wednesday night (7 Dec) until Monday morning (12 Dec).

This means severe cold weather and icy conditions are expected in parts of England. Daytime temperatures are expected to be near or just above freezing, with even colder nights and a risk of ice. This could increase the health risks to vulnerable people and disrupt the delivery of services.

Advice: Keep your home warm, look after yourself and check on people who may be vulnerable

  • Get your COVID-19 vaccinations and flu jab if you are eligible to make sure you are protected against serious illness this winter.
  • Try to maintain indoor temperatures to at least 18°C, particularly if you are not mobile, have a long-term illness or are 65 or over.
    • Keep your home warm, efficiently and safely – be careful using electric blankets, and do not use a gas cooker or oven to heat your home – it’s inefficient and there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning.
    • Keep in the warmth by drawing curtains at dusk, sealing gaps around windows and doors, and make sure radiators are not obstructed.
  • Avoid exposing yourself to cold or icy outdoor conditions if you are at a higher risk of cold-related illness or falls. Make sure you have the food, fuel and medicine you need at home so you don’t need to go out.
  • Maintain your body heat - make sure you move around and stay active, and wear many thin layers.
  • Check on older neighbours, friends or relatives, especially those living alone or who have serious illnesses to make sure they are well, they have access to warm food and drinks and are managing to heat their homes adequately.

If you are concerned about your health or somebody you care for, go to www.nhs.uk/winterhealth, call NHS 111 or talk to your local pharmacist.

 

Local advice

Brighton & Hove Cost of Living Support – www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/cost-living-support
Find information on money advice, benefits, emergency help, free and low cost food options, wellbeing support, energy advice and the cost of living crisis appeal.

Warm Welcome Directory – lists indoor activities and warm places to go this winter: www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/warm-welcome  

Attached: Key Winter Support & Advice – resource for workers, volunteers and professionals which summarises key local and national support available this winter for energy, food, water and other essential costs. It also includes support for home safety and guidance on keeping warm and well at home.

Attached: The Briefing sheet - fuel, food and the cold – includes more advice on looking after yourself and others, keeping your home warm, and gives a summary of the key cold weather and fuel poverty initiatives in Brighton & Hove with contact details.  

 

More information and advice – including advice you can share with your networks and actions you can take to look after those you work with.

 

Information on staying well this winter in alternative formats: