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This is a worrying time for families. As there’s such a lot of information at the moment, we’ve gathered some of it together for this special section. We hope this helps to make things clearer. We’ll continue to keep you updated over the winter.
Support Through Manchester City Council
Manchester City Council website has a special page - Help with the cost of living crisis. This includes links to free school meals, debt advice, foodbanks, getting basic items of furniture, and a range of other information which you may find helpful at this time.
Household Support Fund Spring Payments
Households that receive Council Tax Support and certain groups who don't have to pay Council Tax have been sent a payment from the Spring Household Support Fund. This is a letter with a Post Office Payout voucher which you can cash at any local Post Office branch. If you haven't yet cashed your voucher, please check your unopened post and communal mailboxes. The deadline for cashing the voucher is 10th September 2022. Find out more on the Council website or call 0161 234 5678.
Emergency Cash Grant
If you are in crisis or have an emergency that's out of your control, and you are eligible, you can apply for a cash grant of between £30 and £60 . The Council is also temporarily offering support to carers, including households where a child or young person is the carer. The carer does not need to meet the eligibility criteria.
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Help With School Uniform
The Council doesn’t directly help with school uniforms. Check with your school to see if they have a uniform exchange or discretionary funds to support the cost of uniforms.
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SmartStart Scheme
There is still time to order free school uniform from Wood Streets Mission’s SmartStart Scheme. You need to be referred to Wood Street Mission by a professional who knows your family’s circumstances well – for example, someone at your child’s school, a social worker, health visitor, midwife, or support worker. The form is on the Referrers page. As in previous years, orders will be taken until supplies run out.
Wood Street Mission offer support to families living on a low income in Manchester and Salford, including help with children’s clothes, toys, bedding, baby equipment, toiletries, and Christmas presents. You need to be referred by a professional. Find out more on their website.
Dealing With Energy Costs
Energy Bills Support Scheme
All households with a domestic electricity connection in Great Britain are eligible for a £400 discount. There is no need to contact your energy suppliers. The £400 discount will be administered by suppliers and paid over 6 months, starting from October 2022, to ensure households receive financial support over the winter months. Find out more in this Energy Bills Support Scheme Explainer.
Council Tax Energy Rebate
The Council has made Council Tax Energy Rebate payments of £150 to some of the city’s residents in most need. If you pay your Council Tax by Direct Debit, the £150 should have been directly paid into your bank account with the Council sending you a letter. If you don't pay by Direct Debit or have no council tax to pay, you will have been sent a Post Office Voucher. Find out more on the Council’s website.
Energy Advice
The NEA – Action for Warm Homes has helpful guidance around energy bills. This includes advice around contacting your supplier, energy schemes like the Warm Home Discount and Winter Fuel Payment, signing up to the Priority Register, and making your home more energy efficient. They also have a Home Energy Checklist leaflet, including what to do if your supplier goes bust.
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Support From Manchester Citizens Advice
Manchester Citizens Advice have specialist Energy Advisers who can support you with managing energy costs or accessing available support. Check out their Energy Advice information.
Energy Rebate
If you use an oxygen concentrator at home, you can get a rebate for the electricity it uses from the company that supplies your concentrator. They can make payments into your bank account. BOC Home Oxygen Service - Electricity rebates freephone 0800 136 603, Air Liquide Healthcare - Electricity refund freephone 0800 781 9939.
Benefits & Finance Advice
Are You On The Right Benefits?
It’s important that you are receiving the right benefits so you’ll be able to receive the higher cost of living payments. Check your entitlements using this Benefits Checker.
Carers Manchester
Carers Manchester has a Benefits & Finance Advice resource and offers training to carers around the subject. You can get in touch with them through their Contact Point. We encourage you to sign up to their regular newsletter (scroll down the main page to find the registration link). This has regular updates on benefits and finances, as well as other issues relevant to carers.
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Manchester Citizens Advice
Manchester Citizens Advice offer support and information around benefits and finances. You can contact them in a number of ways – see their website.
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Support For Families With Disabled Children
Contact is a national charity supporting families with disabled children. Eligible families who make a call to the Family Finances team on Contact’s helpline are better off by nearly a £100 a week. As well as the helpline, they have information on benefits and tax credits. This includes Disability Living Allowance (DLA), the main benefit for disabled children in England. It isn’t taxable and doesn’t count as income for other benefits. Getting DLA can mean you’re eligible for other forms of financial support too. You might also be interested in help with health costs, how you could pay less Council Tax if your child requires extra space due to their disability, and Contact’s top 5 questions from carers around benefits and finance. We encourage you to sign up to their newsletter for all the latest updates.
Contact has launched a Cost of Living Inquiry to give parents and disabled young people a platform to speak to MPs and decision makers. Tell Contact about your extra energy costs so they can fight for support in Parliament – survey closes Monday 5th September.
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