Cost of living support
Help if you're struggling with the cost of living
Many residents are currently struggling with rising living costs. That's why it's important to know what help and support is available now that could benefit you, a relative, friend or neighbour.
Petrol, food, energy and other bills are all rising, and we know many people are worried about how they are going to make ends meet.
If you’re struggling to manage, we can offer a range of advice and support so you can find the help you need and are entitled to.
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Welfare Support Service
As the increase in the cost of living continues to have a real impact on residents throughout the Borough, the Welfare Support Service is available to offer advice and provide support if you have financial concerns. The Welfare Support Service works closely with residents in a holistic way, to enable them to access the most appropriate support including emergency food provision, grants and funds, benefits eligibility, income maximisation, and budgeting help.
If you have been financially affected by the cost of living crisis or have any financial concerns, the Welfare Support Service is here to support you. You can contact the Welfare Support Team through our cost of living contact form or by phone on 01455 238141.
Community warm welcome
Although the warm welcome season finished on 31 March, many of the venues which were kindly offered as a warm space during the colder months are continuing to welcome their communities at weekly sessions throughout the year. The offer at each venue will vary, but may include opportunities to meet other people, enjoy some refreshments, take part in activities, learn new things and make use of free internet access. Access may be free, by donation, or for a small charge. View our full list of community welcome locations
You can find more sheltered community spaces at centres for warmth (cadentgas.com)
Welcome the community
To offer your regular sessions for community welcome, please complete our community welcome contact form
Financial support
Information and advice on which benefits and financial support you may be able to receive.
Council tax exemptions:
- Are you eligible for council tax discounts or any exemptions?
Household support fund
The household support fund is administered by Leicestershire County Council and is designed to support residents who are most in need. You may be eligible for support, including help with food and energy costs.
Cost of living payments – you may be entitled to three cost of living payments if you receive certain benefits. All pensioner households will also receive a £300 payment alongside this year’s winter fuel payment. More information: Cost of living payments 2023 to 2024 (GOV.UK)
Housing
If you are a Hinckley & Bosworth Borough Council tenant and are struggling to pay your monthly rent, please contact the Rents service: Tenancy management contact form
Homeless
If you're homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, our Housing Options service can provide advice and support: Homelessness.
You can also contact Shelter: Homelessness advice (shelter.org.uk)
Housing - benefits and grants
Help for those on low incomes with their rent payments: Apply for help paying rent
Discretionary housing payments
Help for people who are already receiving housing benefit or housing costs in their universal credit payments, but are struggling to pay their rent: About discretionary housing payments
Disabled facilities grant
To get an assessment to see if you can get help with adapting your property, contact Adult Social Care on 0116 305 004 Disabled Facilities Grants: Overview (GOV.UK)
Council tax
Some residents are entitled to support, or deductions in their council tax bill, for example: those with adaptations, students, care leavers and people living alone.
Council tax support
Help for those on a low income with their council tax charge: Apply for help paying council tax
Discretionary discount fund
Help for those already in receipt of council tax support that are struggling to pay their council tax: About the discretionary discount fund
Council tax reduction: this is help for those who are disabled and need adaptions in their property: Council tax discounts for disabled people
Food
If you are struggling to feed yourself and your family, you can access support in a number of ways:
- Hinckley Area Foodbank (hinckleyarea.foodbank.org.uk)
Food bank for those struggling - Hinckley Community Fridge (neighbourly.com)
A volunteer led community fridge located in the Children and Family Wellbeing Centre on Granville Road, Hinckley, LE10 0PP - Olio (olioex.com) (App)
A food sharing app that aims to reduce food waste - Togood2go (toogoodtogo.co.uk)
A food sharing app that aims to reduce food waste
Support for pets
- Community pet food bank – telephone 07345 016941 or visit community pet food bank (facebook.com)
- Foodbank for hungry pets (leicestermercury.co.uk) – foodbank providing meals for animals
- Dogzdinner (facebook.com)
Debt advice
Do you have debt? Get advice on how to move forward with your debt:
- Citizens Advice (citizensadviceleicestershire.org) - Debt and money advice
- StepChange (stepchange.org) - StepChange debt charity offering free expert debt advice
- Zinthiya Trust (zinthiyatrust.org) - Money, debt, benefits and energy service
Trust funds for those with priority debt
Trust funds are to help those who are in debt to help reduce or clear it. To be able to access these trust funds you must have had debt advice. Funds:
- British Gas Trust Fund (britishgasenergytrust.org.uk) - This is help for British Gas customers and for any customers whose energy supplier doesn’t have a trust fund
- EDF Trust Fund (charisgrants.com)
- Eon Next Trust Fund (eonnextenergyfund.com)
Household costs
Help towards the cost of running your household, this includes water and heating costs.
- Warm home discount (GOV.UK)
- Winter fuel payment (GOV.UK)
- Big Difference (bigdiff.co.uk) - Severn Trent trust fund Big Difference scheme
- Cost of living help guide (moneysavingexpert.com)
- MoneySavingExpert (moneysavingexpert.com)
Wellbeing support
If the cost of living is impacting on your health and wellbeing, there are free and confidential support services that can help:
- Samaritans (samaritans.org) - Support for anyone that may need someone to talk to
- Central Access Point (leicspart.nhs.uk) - Anyone needing mental health support for themselves or others can call this service on 0808 800 3302, 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- Mental Health Matters (mhm.org.uk) - Help and support for mental health
- Mind (mind.org.uk) - A charity that aims to support people experiencing mental health problems
- Silverline (thesilverline.org.uk) - A 24-hour helpline to support older people across the UK
- CALM (thecalmzone.net) - Mental health support
- Refuge (refuge.org.uk): Support for women who have experienced domestic abuse
Contact us
Contact our Welfare Support Service: cost of living contact form
Support from GOV.UK
The UK government has launched help for households (GOV.UK) to provide a range of support.