We all need a little support from time to time. The below resources offer advice and practical help with fuel cost, to manage finances and make savings.
Hertfordshire’s Money Advice Unit
Advice for cutting energy bills and keeping bills lower
Help with energy bills
Council Tax and Housing Benefit
Visit our Council Tax Support Page for help with council tax discounts, benefits and exemption.
Pensioners
All pensioner households will get a £300 one-off Pensioner Cost of Living Payment in November/December. People will be eligible for this payment if they are over state pension age (aged 66 or above) between 19 – 25 September
Phone and Broadband charges
Ofcom has warned that millions of households could be missing out on £144 a year. Special discounted broadband packages – sometimes known as ‘social tariffs’ – are available to an estimated 4.2 million households getting universal credit for example. However, only 55,000 homes have taken advantage of these discounted rates so far – just 1.2% of those eligible.
Check with the broadband supplier to see what they can offer.
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund helps those in most need with payments towards the rising cost of food, energy, and water bills. It is administered by Hertfordshire County Council and has been extended to September 2023.
For more information please contact HertsHelp on 0300 123 4044 or email info@hertshelp.net
Foodbank Support in Hertsmere
If you are in a crisis and require emergency food support please contact one of our three foodbanks for help right now:
For Borehamwood Foodbank please call 020 3583 1109.
For Potters Bar Foodbank please call 07367789410 / 07310854178.
For The Red Trust Bushey Foodbank please call 07485 717257.
For WD6 Food Support please call 07868 379039
For advice on Shopping on a budget | Communities 1st sign up to Communities 1st free course.
Support for Families Eligible for Free School Meals
Hertfordshire County Council has agreed that one of the ways they can help residents is to provide supermarket vouchers for families receiving benefit related free school meals during the summer holidays. Schools will contact parents and carers who are already in receipt of free school meals directly.
Check if you're eligible for free school meals
Families can choose to use these supermarket vouchers for food and essentials like blankets, bedding and warm clothing.
HAPpy camps
Hertfordshire County Council is funding HAPpy camps this summer to help local families when they need it most. Bookings are now open and schools will have access to your child’s HAPpy Booking Code, if you have not received your code, please contact your school office, or email haf@herts.ac.uk.
For more information, visit the Sports in Herts Website.
Bounce Back Checklist
IncomeMax, has produced the Bounce Back Checklist that details benefits, grants and organisations that can help, including details of where to get money advice
Money and Pensions Service (MaPS)
MaPS have launched a new find you way forward guidance on their MoneyHelper website aimed at people who:
For people who are already missing payments on their bills or credit commitments, then free debt advice services are available via their locator tool
Based on learning from the Hertsmere Food Poverty Alliance, we've worked with the Independent Food Aid Network (IFAN) to co-produce a ‘Worrying about Money?’ leaflet for the residents of Hertsmere aimed at reducing the need for charitable food aid. These resources have been co-designed to help people experiencing financial insecurity, and anyone supporting them, to easily identify and access local advice providers and ways to access existing entitlements and maximise income. Please view the leaflet here.
Credit Unions
Local credit unions are not-for-profit savings and loans schemes. For an explanation on what credit unions do and how they help individuals, families, and communities, visit HertSavers Credit Union.
StepChange
StepChange is a charity that helps thousands of people overcome debt every week. They provide:
- 60-second debt test - answer a few simple questions to find out if you need debt advice, and what your next steps could be
- Debt Remedy tool - answer questions about your financial situation to understand what to do next, where to get further support and guidance and how to start to take control of your money
- Guide to the Breathing Space Scheme - this is a guide to the government scheme which could help relieve some of the pressure and stress caused by being in debt.
HMRC
The HRMC page brings together the support which sits with them, available to help with the cost of living. It includes help with childcare, tax relief, help with savings, help if you can’t pay for your tax bill and information on the Marriage Allowance.
Other Support
Citizens Advice 0344 4111 444
Online information: Information about
local CA and opening times