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Community Information Champions - Cost of Living

Help us spread the word for cost of living help

Dear resident,

This is the first of the weekly cost of living key information updates we're asking you to share on with your networks.

This is part our partnership response with other members of the Hardship Alliance, local organisations working together to help people with the cost of living.

It looks at financial help or advice for anyone struggling with cost of living.

Send it to your friends, show it to your elderly neighbour who is not online or share it with someone who might know someone who needs it.

Every extra person we help matters. There's social media posts further down if you're happy to share these.

Forward this advice on to your networks

Financial help if you’re struggling with cost of living

We’ve launched our cost of living help hub for residents and we’ll be highlighting the best bits which can help colleagues too.

Visit the cost of living help hub for the latest advice for you and your family. This week we focus on getting financial help.

• See our Council Tax discretionary rebate pages if you live in a Band E to H property, you may be able to get an energy rebate if you qualify for certain criteria
• Check our range of Council Tax discounts and exemptions – including discounts for single people, carers, students and more
• Council Tax reductions if you claim certain benefits
• £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment if you get certain disability benefits
• Check your eligibility for a range of money help and advice
• Get help with your rent

If you don’t live in the area, similar schemes may exist. Check your local council’s pages for more information.

Household Support Fund

The latest round of the Household Support Fund is now open for applications. This is open to those struggling with rising costs of living as well as people in receipt of benefits.

Our partners can provide £120 in the form of food, fuel or cash vouchers.

If you live in Wokingham Borough and have a child or children on benefits-related free school meals, you can apply for £15 per week for each eligible child just ahead of half-term, the Christmas and Easter holidays.

Older family members

If you’ve got older family members they may be entitled to:

• Pension credit if they’re 66 or older
• The Winter Fuel Payment if they were born before 25 September 1956, to help heating bills

Share these posts on social media

Please use these posts anytime between Monday 17 October and Sunday 23 October. Feel free to tweak the copy but please leave the links as they are.

Graphics to be used can be downloaded to help get messages across.

Post one - download graphic

✅students

✅carers

✅single-person household

✅disabilities

✅in hardship due to unforeseen or exceptional circumstances

If you fit certain criteria or you’re struggling with cost of living you can get help with your council tax

Find out more ➡ https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/cost-of-living/financial-support/?utm_source=info_champs_social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cost_of_living_help_info_champs_social

Post two - download graphic

Financial support is available if you’re struggling with the cost of living

Find out which help you could get 👇

https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/cost-of-living/financial-support/?utm_source=info_champs_social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cost_of_living_help_info_champs_social

Post three - download graphic

More than 7 million people each year miss out on income-related state benefits they could claim

Across the UK £15 billion is being unclaimed by low income households 

Check if you could be eligible ➡ https://www.wokingham.gov.uk/cost-of-living/financial-support/?utm_source=info_champs_social&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=cost_of_living_help_info_champs_social