Help with Cost of Living

What is being done to help residents?

Cost of Living Emergency Advice and Drop-In sessions
To support voluntary and community organisations, faith groups and schools with specific information and training on about how to maximise benefits, entitlements and access support.

These sessions can include drop-in case support alongside general training. If you’re interested in one of these advice sessions, please contact costoflivingresponse@newham.gov.uk giving the name of your organisation and nature of your request.
 
Cost of Living Emergency Response Champions
Cost of Living Emergency Response Champions will receive regular information about how to get support and help, how to support others and how the council is responding. Champions then share this information with their family, friends and wider communities.

To be a Cost of Living Emergency Response Champion, please email costoflivingresponse@newham.gov.uk, and include your mobile number if you would like information by WhatsApp as well as by email and on Zoom. 

Eat for Free
The Eat for Free Programme helps to support children and families that are experiencing food poverty. Currently, all primary school pupils in Newham, from Year 1 to Year 6 receive free school meals. Pupils can have free school meals regardless of their family income or entitlement to certain benefits. Food coupons can be offered to children in summer and half-term holidays. 

Newham Food Alliance
The Newham Food Alliance is an open collaboration of partners that provide food packages, meals, and other assistance to thousands of residents.   

Newham Food Alliance received a contribution of £150,000, this funding will enable them to supply food and other priority products to Newham households. A sum of £150,000 has been allocated to Children Centres so that they may give direct assistance to children in need.

Our Newham Money
Provides support to Newham residents who are struggling with debt or financial difficulties. Our Newham Money is a free, confidential service designed to assist Newham residents in achieving financial stability.

Our Newham Work
Our Newham Work has been designed to help Newham residents into employment. Whatever level of experience you have, Our Newham Work can provide advice on job applications, gaining skills and looking for work.

Our Newham Business and Enterprise
Provides support and tips to businesses in Newham who are struggling to retain workers, find it challenging to pay for transportation and delivery, and experiencing decline in revenue.

Warm Havens
Newham Warm Havens are secure, non-judgmental warm spaces where residents may go for any purpose they want, free of charge. These are places where people can go if they are not able to keep their own homes warm or if they need a hot meal. Ten local libraries in Newham will open for longer hours throughout the coldest months of the year until March 2023.

Small grants of up to £500 are available for volunteer, community, or faith-based organisations as well as informal community groupings that can set up Warm Havens in Newham. If you are interested in participating in this programme either by hosting or being a financial sponsor, please email julia.nicholson@newham.gov.uk.

Homelessness Prevention and Advice Service
The Homelessness Prevention and Advice Service (HPAS) can provide support on mediation, advising your rights of occupation, guidance on how to find somewhere to live and can refer you to organisations that can assist with employment, debt relief and benefits advice.

Warm Home Discounts for residents
A new free online tool is available to make it easier for residents to check if they are eligible for the UK government’s Warm Home Discount scheme, which provides eligible low-income and vulnerable households with a £150 discount off their energy bills. The online tool will guide residents through the eligibility criteria in England and Wales, asking questions about electricity supply, the benefits they receive and characteristics of their property. After answering the questions, residents will be told whether their property meets the high energy cost criteria.

All residents who complete the online tool will receive a letter between November and mid-January confirming their eligibility and the payment will be made automatically through energy suppliers by March 2023. The Government is also writing to recipients who may be eligible, advising them to use the tool to check eligibility, as well as using the helpline for particularly complex cases.