 As more and more people across the borough start feeling the pinch this winter, it's important that the Council does everything it can to help residents protect themselves from the rising cost of living.
Our Cost of Living Support Page brings together everything you need to know about the support on offer, be it financial assistance, budgeting and debt advice, or help with energy costs and making your home more fuel-efficient.
The reality is that this issue is only just beginning, and many more families are going to face hardship this winter than before - it's time to act now.
I'm urging all Havering residents to take some time this week and work your way through our checklist, which details all the steps you can take now to minimise the strain over the coming months.
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Boost your income
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What are you entitled to? - make sure you're getting any benefits you're entitled to receive
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Havering Helps - Get help with food costs, household bills and more
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Pre-paid energy meters - If you're on a pre-paid energy meter, you can receive a grant payment to help, but you must apply by Friday 18 November
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Reduce your energy use and costs - You'll find advice on the website about reducing energy use. Are you being energy-efficient in your home?
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Build a budget - the support page links to several great budget-building websites that can help you understand and plan your spending.
This is just a start, and there is plenty more information on the webpage to help with more specific issues, such as debt management, school-related costs and more.
However, we understand that sometimes you may need to speak to someone directly. We are running lots of Cost of Living Roadshows across the borough where you can get face-to-face advice from Council services and partners. You can read more information on these later in this special.
We have also set up a new direct email address for those who need additional support they can't find online, and a helpline number (01708 432280) for elderly and vulnerable residents that do not have access to the internet. Both the email and the phone number will be live from this Thursday morning (17 November).
Please help us to keep this service clear for those who desperately need it by ensuring you look for your answers online first - nine times out of 10, the answer will be online.
Finally, I am pleased to announce that we have pledged an extra £1.6 million to extend the Havering Helps scheme and support other vulnerable residents. You can read more about this below.
It's now more important than ever that we as a community pull together to look out for our families, our friends and neighbours. Let's get through these next few months together.
Cllr Ray Morgon
Leader, Havering Council
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Havering Council has committed an extra £1.6million to support residents with the cost of living crisis.
The extra money will be used to boost the existing Havering Helps emergency assistance fund, alongside providing additional support to vulnerable residents including children, pensioners and care leavers.
The £1.6million comes from a government grant for local authorities to use before the end of the financial year.
The funds will be used to support a number of schemes the Council currently runs to help vulnerable residents and communities. This includes:
- Over £600,000 to extend the Havering Helps emergency assistance scheme. This fund allows cash-strapped residents to apply for help with food, household bills and money to buy and replace broken white goods (washing machines, ovens and fridge freezers).
- £400,000 to continue our School Holiday Meal Scheme for the February half-term and Easter holidays.
- £260,000 for pensioners in receipt of Council Tax Support - with £50 credit to their Council Tax accounts which can be transferred to their bank accounts.
- £150,000 for care leavers to help with their fuel and food bills.
Extra money will also be allocated for children’s accommodation and for families and children coming to the borough under the Ukraine Visa Scheme.
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Our Cost of Living Roadshows continue over the next couple of weeks, with drop-in sessions taking place at libraries and other locations throughout the borough.
These sessions feature officers from several Council services, offering advice, support, and a friendly ear to anybody with questions or concerns about the rising cost of living.
We also have a number of voluntary sector partners and local organisations joining us over the coming weeks, including:
- The Cooperative Bank - discussing fraud and scams relating to cost of living payments, and how residents can keep themselves safe financially online.
- The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) - giving advice on benefits and pension credits and help people to get back into work.
The Resident Engagement Team will be running the drop-in sessions and can help with Housing advice. Please note, the services that are on offer at each session may vary.
See the table below for this week's dates and times, and visit the website for more details of future sessions.
Remember to check on your elderly or vulnerable family members and friends this winter and make sure they're aware of the support on offer.
Not everyone has access to a computer, so we're asking you to help them with ensuring they're receiving the right benefits, building budgets, and getting in touch with the Council if they need further support.
We have launched a special Cost of Living helpline specifically for elderly and vulnerable residents that cannot access our services online. Those residents can reach us directly by calling 01708 432280, from this Thursday morning (17 November).
Betty
81-year-old Betty was living in a ground floor flat with a water leak, which left the carpets and flooring damp. She also had health issues and was feeling low because of her living conditions, unpaid Council Tax and utility bills.
However, she was able to receive help from an advice worker from Age UK Redbridge, Barking and Havering, which runs a support service on behalf of the Council. The support worker helped speak to her utility company, and worked with insurance to get her repairs completed and a new carpet installed.
Thanks to this assistance, Betty now has a free TV licence, Council Tax support and a range of other help, for which she said, "thank you so much for everything".
Help us look after people like Betty, and make sure they know what support is on offer.
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Havering Council is working alongside voluntary, community and local organisations, and businesses to set up a network of Warm Spaces across the borough this winter.
These include libraries, leisure centres, community centres, community hubs and other places. They will offer residents a warm welcome and will be free to use for anyone struggling to heat their home over the coming months.
Some venues will also offer hot drinks, activities, and other services such as free Wi-Fi. Warm Spaces will be heated, safe and friendly places where residents can comfortably spend time reading, studying or chatting with others.
The Council is also working with local NHS and voluntary and community partners to set up further Warm Spaces in areas highlighted as the most vulnerable to the cost of living crisis. These additional spaces will respond directly to the needs of the local community, delivering joint services. This could include money advice and energy tips along with COVID boosters and Flu vaccines and other health services.
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The Royal British Legion (RBL) has launched its new Everyday Needs Grants Programme, aimed at members of the Armed Forces community who are struggling with the rising cost of living.
The grant provides a quick and easy way to help members of the Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, veterans and their families with everyday essentials such as kitchen appliances, clothes, and energy costs.
This programme is open to anyone who is eligible for support and struggling to pay for items and services they need. You can apply online via the link below, and they aim to assess your application within five days of submission.
Eligible applicants will receive a grant of up to £2,400 over 12 months.
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 As the cost of living continues to rise, the Council also faces some incredibly tough decisions in the next year, with inflation massively adding to the costs to deliver services.
In addition, Government grants have been dangerously reduced over the last 12 years, and now we have to decide where we can make savings to continue to be able to run statutory services.
Please visit the consultation page below, take a look at the proposals, and help us to understand how they will impact you.
We are hosting a number of in-person sessions across the borough, giving residents the chance to learn about the budget proposals in more detail. The dates and locations for the next five events are listed below.
 Our funding from Government has been slashed from £70m back in 2010 to just £1.5m today. This is due to an outdated and unfit for purpose Government funding formula. Help us fight for a better deal for Havering.
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