Cost of Living Resources
As the cost of living escalates and the temperatures de-escalate, we understand how difficult times ahead will be effecting us all in a varity of ways.
We have complied a list of helpful resources; designed for you to dip in and out of and hopefully covering the areas needed across the Sandwell Borough.
*Please note, all links were live and active at the time of publication. We will regularly check and update this page and update links as requirred*
Support for local communities:
Many local councils, along with partner organisations, have a range of support and signposting to other help, from general benefits and housing support to specific cost of living help for local residents.
Sandwell Council: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/costoflivinghelp
SCVO: https://scvo.scot/policy/campaigns/running-costs-crisis
Government Support:
National Government support and updates on services can be found at:
UK Government: https://helpforhouseholds.camp...
Benefits: https://www.gov.uk/browse/bene...
Money, benefits and debt advice:
There are some useful resources offering support and advice on a wide range of money, benefits, and cost of living issues:
Citizens Advice: https://www.citizensadvice.org.... Your local CAB branch may have additional local resources.
Money Saving Expert: consumer advice and cost of living support, energy saving tips: https://www.moneysavingexpert....
Money Helper: range of tools, resources and access to support around money, debt and savings issues: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk...
Christians Against Poverty (debt advice and support): https://capuk.org/
Step Change (debt advice and support): https://www.stepchange.org/
More information is also available on our Finance and Debt Signposting page - click on the link below
Food:
Local councils and agencies should be able to signpost or refer people to local foodbanks. There is a growing network of national and local organisations offering support around food (and sometimes around other household costs).
Your Local Pantry: https://www.yourlocalpantry.co...
Black Country Food Bank: https://www.blackcountryfoodba...
Shropshire Larder: Shropshire Larder Trussell Trust: https://www.trusselltrust.org/
Foodcycle: https://foodcycle.org.uk/
Health Start: Get help to buy food and milk (Healthy Start)
Community spaces and warm hubs:
Some local authorities have set up networks of community buildings as ‘warm spaces’ where people can go to keep warm (and get support). See the Council links below on general cost of living support, as well as some specific resources here:
Sandwell Council network of Warm Spaces: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/warmspaces
There are networks of community venues offering similar open support (some may be linked to the local authority networks, some may be independent):
Places of Welcome: https://tctogether.org.uk/initiatives/pow and https://www.placesofwelcome.org.uk/
Warm Welcome: https://www.warmwelcome.uk/
Housing, Fuel and Energy:
Local authorities and housing associations may be able to offer specific help around housing, but additional support can be accessed:
Shelter: https://england.shelter.org.uk...
Marches Energy Agency: https://mea.org.uk/ (energy advice in Shropshire, Telford & Wrekin, and West Midlands)
Beat the Cold: Beat the Cold – Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire's Fuel Advice Charity (beatcold.org.uk)
Money and Mental Health:
Money worries can be a significant contributor to mental health issues. There are a range of resources and support networks that can help:
MIND: https://www.mind.org.uk/inform...
Money and Mental Health: https://www.moneyandmentalheal...
Rethink: https://www.rethink.org/advice...
Older People
Scams and economic abuse:
Surviving Economic Abuse: https://survivingeconomicabuse...
Stop Loan Sharks: https://www.stoploansharks.co....
Friends Against Scams: Friends Against Scams - National Trading Standards (NTS) Scams Team initiative protecting and preventing people from becoming victims of scams
Church Resources:
If you’re a church thinking about how to support local people around cost of living, you may find useful resources, prayers, and inspiration here:
Church Urban Fund: https://cuf.org.uk/
Joint Public Issues Team: https://jpit.uk/
Church Action on Poverty: https://www.church-poverty.org...
Jubilee Plus: https://jubilee-plus.org/docs/...
Parish Buying: https://www.parishbuying.org.u...
CUF hosted a webinar on heating your church sustainably this winter – you can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/Dnkk_Ih651k
And download the slides here: Heating your church sustainably 2022
Christians Against Poverty have produced a range of resources for churches looking to provide practical support in their communities: https://kickstart.capuk.org/
Grant support for churches, community groups and projects all working to help those impacted by the cost of living crisis.
We know that over recent months, the UK has been in what is termed a Cost of Living Crisis, and as a result an increasing number of UK households have been struggling with rising prices for food, fuel and other essential goods. We are aware that a number of grant making Trusts have adapted existing or launched specific grant programmes to support charities and community groups helping those hit particularly hard by the Cost of Living Crisis.
If your church or community group has a project that might benefit from a small grant, then follow the link below for more information.
(These grants are not specifically for existing projects but the pots of money are limited, so might not be available if you need time to work out the detail of what you hope to do).