Here are some useful links if you're feeling the effects of the cost of living increases we all face across the UK...
It is focussed on those with a low income but there are useful sections for everyone regarding bills, childcare costs, housing support and transport costs.
One of the things to consider, is your eligibility for benefits. One charity's rough estimate is that £15bn of benefits are unclaimed each year - an income that would help ease the burden of rising food and energy bills. The government's welfare bill is well over £200bn a year, but the system is complex and interconnected. Read the article below and send us an Enquiry if you would like a free benefit check.
Telephone and Internet
Ofcom has some useful advice at
Health and Fitness
Tunbridge Wells Borough Council’s free Go Card offers generous discounts at sport, recreational, leisure and cultural facilities provided by TWBC for 12 months. This includes Putlands Leisure Centre. To qualify you must be a low income family receiving benefits from TWBC or a student 16+ in full time education.
Childcare Costs
If you receive Universal Credit you may be eligible for help with your childcare costs if you and your partner are both working some hours every week.
Grants
If you are struggling financially and need help with money, you may be eligible to apply for a
grant. The secure Lightning Reach portal allows you to find and apply for support from multiple providers, quickly and easily.
The Family Fund helps families across the UK who are raising a disabled or seriously ill child or young person aged 17 or under. They will consider applications for household appliances, computers and tablets, clothing, toys, garden improvements, days out and holidays. There are also grants available for disabled and seriously ill young people aged 18-24 who are still living at home.
Water
South East Water offer a social tariff for those on low incomes and a single person’s
discount for those living alone. See their website for how to apply:
Food
The anti-food waste App Too Good To Go lets you rescue delicious, unsold food from businesses to save it from going to waste. In turn, the app powers efforts to build an anti-
food waste movement.
A practical and informative guide re food has been produced by the British Society for
Dieticians under the banner Eat Well, Spend Less.
The BBC also have a programme called Eat Well Spend Less which also has lots of money saving ideas:
Education
The Open University offers nearly a thousand free courses in over 8 subject areas, ideal for
broadening your skill set or exploring new career paths at
Amazon have created a page dedicated to free learning resources.
Free Goods
Freecycle is a non-profit movement of people who are giving and getting stuff for free in their own towns. Membership is free and Tunbridge Wells and Paddock Wood have their own pages which helps keep transport costs down.
