Help to manage the cost of living

With the cost of living on the rise, we have put together a one-stop source of information for local people – from checking what support is available, to finding your cheapest deals - get the help you need to manage the cost of living.

Visit the Cost of Living Support website to see what support you could be eligible for.

There are many local grant schemes that help with funding and other support. Visit the turn2us website and search for funds available in your area.
 

Check what you’re entitled to

Lots of people miss out on extra money they could be getting each week. This can be especially true for older people whose circumstances may have changed. If you, or someone you know, hasn’t checked in while, it’s well worth doing to see what you’re entitled to.

Attendance allowance

Attendance allowance can help you, or an older relative, who needs care or supervision because of an illness or disability. Visit the website or call the helpline: 0800 731 0122.

Council Tax

Pension age residents who need financial support could get money off their council tax bill. Use our online calculator to check if you, or someone you know, is eligible.

Winter fuel payment 

The Winter Fuel Payment of £100 - £300 is paid annually for those over the State Retirement Age. You should get it automatically if you are receiving your state pension and live in the UK. Otherwise, you may need to make a claim—see GOV.UK for more details or call 0800 731 0160

Tax-free Childcare

Working families in East Herts could be missing out on £2,000 a year to help with the cost of childcare. Whether it’s for holiday clubs, breakfast clubs, or childminders and nurseries, Tax-Free Childcare gives working parents a helping hand. This article explains everything you need to know


Maternity Allowance

If you are expecting your first child, you may be eligible for the Sure Start Maternity Grant. This is a one-off £500 payment, which you do not need to repay. You must claim within 11 weeks of the baby’s due date, or within six months after they are born. 
 

NHS Healthy Start

The scheme is designed to help families access fruit, vegetables and milk, worth £220 a year. Families who use NHS Healthy Start can also access free vitamins. Find out more on the NHS Healthy Start website 

Citizens Advice East Herts offers a wealth of information online and in person – from applying for Universal Credit for the first time, to budgeting and redundancy support.

Check what you’re entitled to

Lots of people miss out on extra money they could be getting each week. If you, or someone you know, hasn’t checked in while, it’s well worth doing to see what you’re entitled to. Our online calculator will give you an estimate of what you can claim.  
 

Financial Wellbeing

In partnership with the Healthy Hub East Herts Citizens Advice East Herts talk you through financial wellbeing.

Take a look at the YouTube video.

If you are on a low income or claim benefits, your council tax bill council could be reduced by over 90%. Use our online calculator to check if you’re eligible. 

Anyone who is medically certified as having a severe impairment of their intellectual or social functioning, that appears to be permanent, may be eligible to a Council Tax discount or exemption. Find out more on our Exemption page.

Water

The Affinity Water WaterSure scheme works by capping your charges, so additional water usage is not chargeable. Find out if you are eligible and apply online.

Internet and TV

Broadband providers, including Sky, BT and Virgin, are among the firms offering cheaper deals for households on Universal Credit. You can save up to £150 by moving onto a social tariff. 

Energy bills

The Hertfordshire Energy Advice Tool (HEAT) app gives a virtual tour around a typical home and suggests quick and easy actions to help you save money on your bills. Typical savings are upwards of £75 and you can download it free from the Google Play or Apple store.

If you do not pay your council tax by direct debit, make sure you have applied for the government’s £150 energy rebate.

Households will get £400 of support with their energy bills through an expansion of the Energy Bills Support Scheme. This replaces the £200 announced earlier this year. The £400 payment will now be made as a grant and will not be recovered through higher bills in future years. Households with meters will get the support over 6 months from October 2022. Direct debit and credit customers will have the money credited to their account while customers with pre-payment meters will have the money applied to their meter or paid via a voucher.

Cold weather payments

From November 2022 cold weather payments of £25 will be paid automatically, if the temperature is below zero for seven consecutive days and you are on certain benefits. For more information see GOV.UK or alternatively contact the Job Centre or the pension service.

Energy Saving

Visit the following pages for tips on energy efficiency and insulation grants available:


 

Check to see if you are entitled to extra benefits such as Carer’s Allowance. This is not means tested for carers aged over 16 who look after someone for more than 16 hours a week. More information can be found on GOV.UK

Utility companies have a legal duty to support if you are struggling to pay your bills. Take a look on the Carers First website for advice on how to get additional help as a Carer. 

You may also be eligible for council tax relief and there are a number of grants available to carers. More information can be found on the Carers First website. 

For more support and advice in Hertfordshire visit Carers in Herts online. 
 

In partnership with the Healthy Hub East Herts Citizens Advice East Herts talk you through Redundancy and your rights and taking the next steps to being employed again.

Take a look at the bite sized guide video on YouTube

If financial stress or other worries are getting on top of you, speak to HertsHelp or visit our HealthyHub. They can offer advice, or put you in touch with the right people. 

There are a number of other online resources available to with coping in a crisis: 

  • Mind Hertfordshire Network offer a number of courses on living well. See the selection on the Mind Hertfordshire website. 
  • The NHS have a number of mental wellbeing audio guides to help you boost your mood available on their website
  • The TogetherALL platform is an online mental wellbeing community created by Hertfordshire Country Council Public Health. Visit their website to see how they can help.

Hertfordshire County Council have created directory of warm spaces available across Hertfordshire. Find out more on their website.

Care Homes

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF) remains open to all eligible households across Great Britain until 31 May 2023. 

The EBSS AF is available to over 900,000 households in Great Britain who do not have a domestic electricity supply and were not eligible to receive support automatically through the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), providing them with £400 to support them with their energy bills.

Those who are eligible for the EBSS AF will need to submit a short online form via the Government website - Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically. For those without online access, the contact centre helpline can be reached on 08081753287 where a representative will guide applicants through the application process.

Family members, friends and carers can make an application on behalf of eligible residents if they are unable to complete the application themselves. These individuals must ensure that the eligible applicant’s details are provided.

To be eligible to apply for support, care home residents need to either:

  • Pay for their whole care
  • Pay for part of their care
  • Have their care funded through their local authority

Applications from, or on behalf of, care home residents should include a copy of an invoice in the name of the applicant for care home fees, or a letter on headed paper from the care homeowner / management, to confirm the named applicant is partly or wholly self-funded. These documents must be dated no earlier than 3-months before the application date and include the name and address of the care home.

Once customers have applied to receive support and their applications have been processed and verified, eligible customers’ details will be shared with Local Authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support.

The exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant local authority. Payments will be made directly into applicant’s bank accounts in a single instalment.

Park Homes

The Energy Bills Support Scheme Alternative Funding (EBSS AF), remains open to all eligible households across Great Britain until 31 May 2023. 

The EBSS AF is available to over 900,000 households in Great Britain who do not have a domestic electricity supply and were not eligible to receive support automatically through the Energy Bills Support Scheme (EBSS), providing them with £400 to support them with their energy bills.

Those who are eligible for the EBSS AF will need to submit a short online form via the Government website - Apply for energy bill support if you do not get it automatically. For those without online access, the contact centre helpline can be reached on 08081753287 for GB applications where a representative will guide them through the application process.

Once customers have applied to receive support and their applications have been processed and verified, eligible customers’ details will be shared with Local Authorities across England, Scotland and Wales, who will deliver the one-off, non-repayable support.

The exact date that an eligible household will receive support will depend on when the application is made and when the payment can be processed by the relevant local authority. Payments will be made directly into applicant’s bank accounts in a single instalment.