Cost of Living Support

Why waste what can be used?

Over a third of food waste ends up in rubbish bins across Hertfordshire. The county council and other organisations have some good tips for helping you reduce food waste.

• Hertfordshire Food Waste
• Kitche Food Waste app
• Love Food Hate Waste
• Worth Saving

Organisations provide 'rescued food' for free or at a low-cost.

Supermarket surplus unsold and past it's 'best before' dated food is often sent straight to landfill. Hubs have been set up across Hertfordshire to 'rescue' this food before it can be destroyed. The food is distributed to local people often for free or low-cost. Here are some of your options:

• Community Fridge at the University of Hertfordshire (Hatfield)
• Community Pantry, St Albans
• Food Rescue Hub, Welwyn Garden City ('pay as you feel')
• Olio app
• Too Good To Go app

Think of the BBC programme 'The Repair Shop'.

Repair cafes are places where skilled individuals volunteer their tools and materials to help fix cherished items that are no longer functional or are damaged. Get in touch with a cafe to have a chat about the item you'd like restored. If they can take on your project, an appointment will be offered so you can drop it off.

Most repair cafes ask for a donation for charity or community purposes. There may also be a charge if spare parts are required to complete a repair.

• Find your closest repair cafe here.

Sign up for discounts for menstrual cups, washable pads, period pants and more. 

Reusable menstrual products have a lower environmental impact than single-use menstrual products.  Especially the reusable menstrual cup is substantially better for the environment than other product options. Hertfordshire County Council are offering a Sustainable Periods Scheme for Hertfordshire residents to gain discounts for sustainable period products.

You can sign up for this scheme here. 

If you live elsewhere, you can register for discounts via Women's Environmental Network Environmenstrual Campaign

Hertfordshire County Council is aiming to make reusable nappies accessible for all Hertfordshire residents, by providing support, advice, and discounts off a range of reusable nappies and accessories.

With the right support, switching to reusable can be an easy way to improve your child's comfort and health, reduce household waste, and reduce your regular expenses on disposable nappies. 

Click here to find out more. 

Discover the benefits of switching to reusable incontinence products - PLUS enjoy 15% off as a Hertfordshire resident. 

Reusable continence products are becoming increasingly popular because of their many benefits. You can buy them in high street shops, supermarkets and online.

• Washable absorbent pants
• Washable pads
• Men's absorbent underwear
• Washable undies for kids

With this scheme, Hertfordshire residents can get a discount with participating suppliers.

Click here for more information or you can sign up here.

Meals and activities for free.

Check if your child is eligible for free school meals by visiting the government’s website. If they are eligible, they will also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) which helps provide activities and food for children during the school holidays.

If you are struggling to afford food, speak to a local Foodbank Referral Agency about getting a voucher to your local Foodbank.

Click here to find your nearest or select an option from the list below:

• Foodbanks in Hertsmere
• Foodbanks in St Albans City and District
• Foodbanks in Three Rivers
• Foodbanks in Watford
• Foodbanks in Welwyn Hatfield

Food banks and emergency food providers for the homeless

If you or someone you know is sleeping rough, you may need contacts for emergency food providers. Citizens Advice St Albans has provided a list of their local options with postal addresses and opening times. Click here to go to the list.

Help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

The Healthy Start prepaid card can be used to buy and collect:

• Plain liquid cow’s milk
• Fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
• Fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
• Infant formula milk based on cow’s milk
• Healthy Start vitamins to support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
• Vitamin drops for babies and young children

Check if you are eligible and apply by visiting the website.

Over-the-counter medicines for free.

If you already get free prescriptions (e.g. because of a low income, or your child is aged under 17, or 19 if in full time education), you can often get other free non-prescription medicines for minor ailments too. It can save you money for treating common conditions such as coughs, diarrhoea, eczema, ear and eye infections, nappy rash, cradle cap and head lice. The minor ailments scheme isn’t available everywhere. You'll find it in selected Boots and Lloyds pharmacies, plus other chains and independents. Ask your local pharmacy for details and remember to take proof that you're eligible for free prescriptions, e.g. proof of age or the relevant certificate.

• Click here to learn more about the scheme in Boots.

Freebee websites.

Look at websites where local residents post items they no longer need and people can add posts on what they’re after, or sites where companies give away leftover stock or free samples:

• Free Stuff
• Gumtree
• Magic Freebies

Sebby's Corner helps provide your children with the basic essentials.

Sebby’s Corner believes no child should go without basic essentials. They supply essential items such as clothing, nappies, formula and baby equipment to local families living in poverty. To ensure they reach the most vulnerable, families-in-need can be referred by social workers, health visitors, family support workers, midwives, and other professionals.

Visit their website to find out more. 

It’s important to protect yourself and others as much as possible from cold weather conditions.

Older people, children, babies and residents with underlying health conditions are amongst those particularly vulnerable to the effects of cold weather. To view a comprehensive list of cold-weather health advice visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/ready-for-cold-weather.

Please check in on anyone who may struggle in cold weather.

If you or anyone you know is struggling to heat their home, or someone may need help to get shopping or medicines, please contact HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 or visit www.hertfordshire.gov.uk/costofliving

If you are concerned about yourself or someone else, please call NHS 111, contact your GP or get advice from your local pharmacy.

Get financial support

If you are worried about money, or you are in debt, help is available.

Citizens Advice can give you help and support. You may also be able to get help from the government with energy bills, transport, childcare and household costs. Never ignore bills.

More information: www.hertscitizensadvice.org.uk or call 0800 144 8848

Get a flu vaccine

If you’re eligible for a free flu vaccine, you can book an appointment at your GP surgery. You can also book online to get a flu vaccine from a local pharmacy that offers it on the NHS.

Childcare assistance schemes.

There are many options available to help you pay for childcare. On the Childcare Choices website, you can learn about schemes available for children aged 16 and under, such as 15-30 hours free childcare dependent on age, tax credits, and tax-free childcare. Visit the website to learn more.

Energy providers helping you with the essentials.

Some providers offer an Energy Trust scheme for their account holders to help cover energy arrears and sometimes other essential household items. Those who live in a home supplied by the provider, but are not account holders, can apply for the Further Assistance Payments only. You need to complete a full income and expenditure budget sheet along with proof of your income, give details on how your arrears have built up, e.g., due to illness or redundancy, and say how the grant will help you. It can take several weeks to process your claim but can give £1,000+ in support.

The following energy companies offer grants and schemes that are open to anyone, not just their own customers:

• British Gas Energy Trust
• EDF Energy Trust
• e.on Energy Fund

There are also companies who offer grants specifically for their customers:

• Scottish Power Hardship Fund
• SSE Priority Assistance Fund – check eligibility by calling 0800 072 8616. 

For other providers or general advice, contact the government's Find Ways to Save Energy in Your Home or telephone 0800 444 202 (for England and Wales).

Home improvements grants for elderly, disabled people or those on a low-income.

Your local Home Improvement Agency (HIA) may help you to repair, improve, maintain or adapt your home. There are about 200 not-for-profit, locally-based HIAs around the country that can help in varying ways. Assistance can include putting together flat-pack furniture or looking after your garden. Search for your nearest HIA here.

Check out the Free Insulation and Boiler Grants guide to see if you qualify for help making energy-efficient home improvements.

Help to pay for heating.

Have a look at the Housing and Energy Grants guide for discounts and grants to help you pay for heating.

Help with the cost of heating bills.

During the winter, pensioners can get payments between £100 and £300 to help with the cost of heating bills. Visit the government website to find out more about Pensioner Winter Fuel Payments.

Improving your home's energy efficiency.

Sustainable Warmth is a new scheme funded by the UK Government and managed by Warmworks with support from the Energy Saving Trust. It is designed to fund energy-efficiency upgrades for residents who are most likely to be impacted by the high cost of rising bills. These improvements will help residents to use less energy and spend less on their energy bills.

Certain criteria have to met to ensure eligibility. Click here to find out more and apply.

Water companies and hardship funds.

Water UK’s website has info on all the water company schemes inc. referrals to hardship funds and help in applying for direct payment from benefits (Water Direct). If you’re on a meter and a means-tested benefit, and either have three or more children under 19, or someone in the household with a medical condition needing lots of water, you could get help from the WaterSure scheme which caps your bills at the average for your area. Some providers also offer other special tariffs and/or New Start/Restart (name depends on where you live), a scheme that can match payments or write off some of your debt if you enter an arrears payment plan.

Also see the Cut Water Bills guide.

Grants to support disabled children and young people.

If you are looking for support for disabled children and young people under 25 years, The Children Today Charitable Trust are offering grants for up to £1,000. This grant aims to provide vital, life-changing specialist equipment, such as wheelchairs, walking aids, trikes, educational toys, communication aids, lifting and posture-paedic sleep equipment and specially designed sensory equipment like fibre-optic sprays.

For more information, visit their website. To apply for a grant, call the helpline on 01244 335 622.

The Citizens Advice website is a fantastic resource for information about managing benefits, work, debt, housing, immigration, health, and more. Learn about which benefits may be available to you, how to budget, and other help you can receive here.

Hertfordshire County Council is providing an additional £1.5m worth of support for unpaid carers.

As part of Hertfordshire County Council's work to help residents deal with cost-of-living challenges, they are providing an additional £1.5m worth of support for unpaid carers. The extra money is part of the £12.3m the council has been given from government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) to provide additional help to those households most in need.

HCC are working closely with Carers in Hertfordshire to administer the scheme. Around 10,000 unpaid carers, including young carers will benefit from the voucher worth over £100, which they will be able to collect from their local Post Office. To be eligible carers must have been registered with Carers in Hertfordshire by the end of October.

How to redeem the voucher:

• Take the letter with some form of identification confirming your name and address to any Post Office branch before the expiry date on the letter.
• Ask a friend or relative to go for you. They will need to take the letter, with the back page signed and dated, with some form of identification for both you and them.
• Contact HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 who can arrange for someone to help you to redeem the voucher.

If you’re no longer a carer you can still redeem the voucher. However, please contact Carers in Hertfordshire so they can update your details.

Find out more about extra help for unpaid careers here.

Grants to make life easier for disabled young people and their families.

The Family Fund is open to families raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person aged 17 or under. The Family Fund give grants for things that make life easier and more enjoyable for the disabled child, young person and their family, such as washing machines, driving lessons, computers and holidays.

To find out more, visit the website or give them a call on 08449 744099.

Grants for pensioners.

Friends of the Elderly are providing grants of up to £400 to help people of state pension age on low incomes and with little savings (less than £4,000).

Individuals: to access this funding, you must contact your local Referral Agency (this may be a charity, housing or tenant association, cultural and religious centre, etc.). You may be eligible if you are of state pension age, living in England or Wales, in privately-owned, privately-rented, or social housing. To find out more, read the guidelines.

Find reliable information and advice on a range of financial subjects on the Hertfordshire County Council’s website. Information is provided by trusted sources such as Hertfordshire’s Money Advice Unit, Adult Care Services, and more. Visit the website to access online help, printable leaflets, and telephone numbers for a range of organisations.

Supporting women hardest hit by the cost of living crisis.

Smallwood Trust are providing grants under the Cost of Living Fund for women who are the most affected by the rising costs of energy bills, fuel prices, food and basic essentials.

The Fund will support some of the women who are likely to be hardest hit by the rise in the cost of living including those living alone or with dependent children; disabled women; Women with no recourse to public funds and/or women who are or who have been affected by domestic violence or abuse.

To find out more about the grant and how to apply, visit the website.

DIY grant finder.

The Turn2Us grants checker can help you find local charities and grants which may be able to provide financial support based on your location, age, and gender. Turn2Us offers charitable grants for those struggling with energy and water bills, also offering specific winter grants, and assistance in buying goods.

Find out more information by visiting their website.

Essential Broadband package.

Virgin Media are offering a broadband deal for Low-Income Families who are on Universal Credit. Essential broadband is a broadband-only package with average speeds of 15Mbps that costs £15 a month, and this price will never change for as long as you’re on Universal Credit. It runs on a flexible 30-day rolling contract, so you have the freedom to upgrade to our other Virgin Media services or cancel at any time.

Home Essentials Package.

BT Home Essentials – Stay connected with BT low-cost broadband and phone plans are available if you’re on specific benefits, they’re perfect for everything from accessing services to video calls and streaming TV.

Free sims and mobile data.

The National Databank provides free sims and mobile data (as well as talk minutes and texts) to people in need via Good Things Foundation’s network of local community partners. ‘It’s like a food bank’ but for internet connectivity data. Community organisations can apply to access the databank, enabling them to provide data to people in their communities who need it. Find out more here.

Funds to help jobseekers find work.

Jobcentre Plus provides a Flexible Support Fund to help support jobseekers looking for work. Each centre decides how to use their fund which can include things such as cost of transport, childcare, work clothes, tools and more (during the job search or to enable you to accept an offer of employment) if an adviser believes it’ll make the transition into work easier. Ask your local office if it provides any help. To find out more information, speak to an adviser at your local Jobcentre Plus.

Six months free broadband.

TalkTalk and the UK Government’s Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) have a new scheme, available UK-wide, offering six months’ free broadband. You need to apply for the free broadband via your Jobcentre. If you’re out of work, ask your Jobcentre Plus work coach if you can apply. It will be up to Jobcentre Plus staff to determine eligibility on a case-by-case basis. However, if you’re out of work – particularly if you don’t currently have home broadband – you could be eligible.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be given a referral code to give to TalkTalk. You should redeem this code via a dedicated TalkTalk phone number, which you’ll be given by Jobcentre Plus staff. Applying this way means you can bypass the usual credit check to take out the product, so it shouldn’t have a negative impact on your credit score. There’s no limit on the number of voucher referral codes available, and there’s no end date you need to apply by.

Help to access childcare for students.

Care to Learn are helping to pay for childcare costs for under 20s who want to start or return to learning. For further information, call them on 0800 121 8989.

Support for adults to undertake training which benefits their employment.

The Thomas Wall Trust’s individual programme aims to support motivated adults living in the UK to undertake education and training that will increase their chances of employment. They offer grants up to £1,500 to undertake accredited vocational training up to level 3. The grants also cover other costs associated with studying, including childcare, travel, and accessible study materials. To find out more about the grant and how to apply, visit the website.

Funding to support students.

The government’s Department of Education has created New Bursaries to Help Learners to Upskill and Retrain, £2.5 million worth of funding to support learners and open further job opportunities. 22 universities and colleges in England will be offering short courses across a range of subjects to teach in-demand skills, from September as part of a three year trial.

Help to give your family a holiday.

The UK Government’s Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport has partnered with VisitEngland and the Family Holiday Charity to provide holidays for families struggling financially or facing illness, isolation, or bereavement.

Through the England for Everyone fund, families who may never have had a holiday can be referred to the charity for short breaks and will have a choice of where they will visit. To access this fund, you must be referred by a professional or organisation, such as a teacher, registered charity, NHS health visitor, registered housing associations, etc. Find out more by visiting the website.

Free activities and meals for children during the school holidays.

If your child is eligible for free school meals, they will also qualify for the Holiday Activity and Food Programme (HAF) which helps provide activities and food for children during the school holidays.

Local authorities are expected to offer the equivalent of 6 weeks' holiday provision to eligible children. This may cover Easter, Summer, and Christmas, and some other holiday periods. Children will receive at least one meal a day (breakfast, lunch or tea) which will comply with regulations on food preparation and take into account any allergies, or dietary, religious and cultural requirements.

Click here to find out whether your child is eligible.

Funds to help families with disabilities have holidays.

The  3H Foundation helps families with a disabled family member to have a holiday in the UK by awarding a modest grant towards the holiday accommodation. Carers are able to apply for a carer grant enabling them to have a period of respite away without their cared for. Find out more by visiting their website.

Free food with FareShare Community Membership or FareShare Go.

FareShare is an organisation that saves food from going to waste by redistributing surplus food from some of the UK's top food companies to charities and community groups. If your organisation uses food to support people, then you can sign up to receive food too.

There are two options for getting food:

• FareShare Community Membership - a paid for service which links charities and groups with regional centres to provide food directly.
• FareShare Go - the opportunity to collect free surplus food from your local supermarket.

Food available often includes bread, eggs and fresh fruit. It will always be within its use-by date and is perfectly good to eat.

Surplus stock free of charge.

Giving World is providing businesses’ surplus stock free of charge to member organisations. Registered charities, community groups, non-profit organisations, and schools can join to receive items such as clothing, food items, toiletries, cleaning and household products to help their beneficiaries. Find out more on their website.

Top-up schemes.

Sebby’s Corner, located in Borehamwood, are running a ‘top-up’ system for local organisations such as food banks and refuges to ensure they never run out of the items they need to support their families.

Free Vodafone sims.

If you’re a charity that needs support for digital inclusion programmes, you can apply for free Vodafone SIMs. Each is loaded with 20GB data a month for six months, plus unlimited calls and texts. You can use these SIMs however you like, for example, to provide connectivity to your service users or deliver training to people in need. Vodafone cannot distribute SIMs to individuals, but do so through charities.

Click here for the application form.

The Wenta website features a wide range of small business freebies, savings and resources that can save your organisation thousands per year!

Click here to view the resources.