|
Help and support is available to help you cope with the rising cost of living. We want to make sure that you are not missing out on help.
The Hardship Alliance’s latest cost of living survey told us that rising costs continue to impact more and more people locally. The biggest concerns include:
- Energy costs
- Rising food costs
- Rising mortgage and rent costs
- Rising use of credit cards, loans and overdrafts to pay for essentials
Visit the cost of living help hub for the latest support options.
 £100 grants to help with rising costs
Our Household Support Fund is still open for grant applications from any resident.
You can apply through Citizens Advice Wokingham or Age UK Berkshire to access funding to pay for food, energy bills or other costs.
There’s specific support from First Days Children’s Charity for your family if your child receives means-tested free school meals.
 Back to school help
The new school year will start shortly and we want to remind you of support available if needed.
School meals
From when they start school until the end of year 2, every child will receive a free school meal.
From year 3 until they leave school, they are entitled to free school meals if their parent receives one of the following:
- Income support
- Income-based job seeker’s allowance
- Income-related employment and support allowance
- Child Tax Credit - provided you are not entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual income that does not exceed £16,190
- The guarantee element of the State Pension Credit
You can find out more and apply for free school meals on our website.
School uniform and equipment
Local charity First Days can help with school uniform including shoes and sports equipment.
They are running a sale of high-quality, pre-loved items on:
- Friday 1 September, 10am to 6pm
- Saturday 2 September, 9am to 2pm
This takes place at the Elevate Centre (RG40 2AZ) next to Denmark Street car park in Wokingham. There will also be toys, books, baby and toddler clothes and equipment and much more on sale.
If you can't make those sessions you can request help with uniform on the First Days website.
The team can provide primary and secondary school uniforms, including school logo items, as well as shoes, bags, stationery, coats, sports kits, trainers and football boots.You can find out more on the First Days website.
Holiday, Activities and Food programme
Our Holidays, Activities and Food (HAF) programme offers free activities during the main school holidays for school-aged children that get free school meals.
Before each holiday period you'll receive a code, which you can then use to go an book online from a range of activities.
To register for a code, visit our HAF webpage.
Healthy Start vouchers
If you are on a low income and pregnant, or have a child aged three or under, you could get up to £800 a year to help buy fruit, vegetables, milk and infant formula for you and your family.
You’ll be sent a prepaid card with weekly top-ups which you can use like a debit card.
You can also use your card to collect Healthy Start vitamins which support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding, or vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to four years old.
To find out more and to apply, go to the Healthy Start website.
 Feeding thousands, cutting waste
SHARE provides food to about 2,500 residents across the borough each week, for free, to help reduce food waste and support those struggling with the cost of living.
All the stock is surplus or end of day items from local supermarkets (Waitrose, M&S, Tesco, Morrisons and Lidl) and food suppliers which would otherwise go to waste.
View the food map to see locations and opening times. Sites in Woodley, Wokingham, Shinfield, Finchampstead, Arborfield and beyond.
 Free Saturday film and screen club
A new, free Film and Screen Saturday Club at Wokingham and Bracknell College is open for sign ups.
The sessions for teenagers teach them all about film and screen production, sound and lighting design to visual effects and animation.
It also includes visits to professional studios and masterclasses with film and media industry professionals.
The club is for young people from 13 to 16, who are from lower income families, looked after children or have parents or carers who haven’t been to university.
Enthusiasm for film and screen and an eagerness to learn more is all the experience required. There are only 25 places so if you are keen to get involved do not delay applying.
The sessions run every Saturday morning from 7 October to 18 May next year, from 10am to 1pm, during term time.
It will give a great start to young people’s creative journey and open their eyes to the vast opportunities this industry has to offer.
A guide for your situation
If you’re not sure where to start with cost of living help, why not try our guides? They set out step by step options you can use based on your situation:
Talk to someone
Contact Citizens Advice Wokingham to find the right support for you situation.
This includes advice and information on welfare benefits, debt, housing, employment law amongst other areas, or helping you to access services from other charities and services in the borough to meet your needs.
Use the online referral form or call 0808 278 7958, Monday to Friday.
|
