Benefits & Money – Cost of Living News & Advice

Cost of Living Support

Calderdale Council 

UK Government

  • Recognising that people are worried about the cost of living, the government is offering help for households. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for on their dedicated website: costoflivingsupport.campaign.gov.uk/
  • The Help for Households campaign gives clear information about the exceptional payments, energy support and existing support schemes available, so the public know what is available and where they can find help. There is a website to support the campaign and the homepage brings together over 40 support schemes that the public may be able to access depending on eligibility. Additionally, a range of online tools will help citizens quickly and efficiently check the support they might be eligible for and how to access it.

Advice and support from Citizen’s Advice

  • Dealing with Debt and money issues
  • Help with Budgeting Tools from Citizen’s Advice to help you work out a budget.
  • Your employment rights at work Support if you have concerns about your employment contract, working conditions or right to time off work.
  • Citizens Advice share insights from across their service on how the crisis is affecting the people they help. They’ll be updating this dashboard every month tracking how the cost-of-living crisis is changing. View Dashboard (click on arrows to navigate to later pages)

Warm Spaces

A company called Open Innovations, from Leeds, have put together a warm space directory that brings together information from many sources into one easy-to-use place.
Alphabetical: Here is a view that loads an alphabetical list of offers in Calderdale: https://warm.open-innovations.org/find?gss=E08000033
Map-Based: And here is a map view of offers from all over the country but centred on Calderdale: https://mapper.odileeds.org/?12/53.72485/-1.87180/datamill-0902a2be-f58e-429c-a6aa-6f196ccc45fd

More Useful Links

Benefits, Money & Cost of Living News

  • benefits and money news
    Support for people who need help to buy food.
    Calderdale Council’s website includes a page where you can find a range of support for people who need help to buy food. Find out about community kitchens, food banks and what Government schemes there are for you. Also, how …more
  • benefits and money news
    Work Capability Assessments – update
    This is from the Government’s Touchbase newsletter, which cover Department for Work and Pensions’ updates. Although we continue to prioritise new claims for a Work Capability Assessment, we plan to conduct more …more
  • A Guide To Disabled Students’ Allowance
    Disabled Students’ Allowance (DSA) is a government-provided support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long-term illness or any other disability. This can be on its own or in addition to …more
  • benefits and money news
    Government Launches New Scheme To Remove Barriers to Work For Disabled People
    Here’s the government’s own press release about this new scheme. 25,000 people to be helped into work as government ramps up roll-out of flagship Universal Support scheme Up to 25,000 people will benefit from new …more
  • benefits and money news
    New home adaptation funding released
    The Government has announced that Fifty million pounds has been allocated to local authorities to help older people and those with disabilities live safely and independently in their own homes. Additional funding to help older …more
  • benefits and money news
    Happy Days Launch Social Supermarket
    On Wednesday the 23rd of August, Happy Days launched Halifax’s first Social Supermarket, relacing their foodbank. This is what they say about the change: “This move from a foodbank will promote choice, dignity and empower …more
  • benefits and money news
    Spotting & Reporting Rogue Traders
    Rogue Traders target older and more vulnerable people with offers of services and products that are bogus, over-priced or both. Key indications that you could be dealing with a Rogue Trader They turn up at the door unannounced …more
  • benefits and money news
    Financial Insights: New Energy Price Cap
    The website lookaftermybills.com is a good independent source of financial information and they have three useful articles online at the moment, all related to the new Energy price cap. New Energy Price Cap announced – how …more
  • benefits and money news
    Citizens Advice Available in Local Building Society Branches
    A partnership between Citizens Advice and Yorkshire Building Society is making advice available to more people in our area. The partnership sees Citizens Advice advisers hold free, impartial and confidential appointments in …more
  • benefits and money news
    2023-24 Winter Energy Bills Support & Advice
    This article is part of Calderdale’s Winter 2023-24 Cost of Living Factsheet, a really useful guide published by Calderdale Council. Energy bills for gas and electricity will drop slightly this winter but will remain high. …more
  • benefits and money news
    Local Support with Money and Council Tax
    Do you or anyone you know struggle to pay for food and fuel or need support with budgeting? Are you finding it difficult to pay your Council Tax or unsure what benefits you can claim? Calderdale Council’s Early Advice and …more
  • benefits and money news
    Citizens Advice Calderdale Survey
    Citizens Advice Calderdale are working with partners to find out from residents how they’ve been affected by the increased cost of living.  This survey should take no more than 4 minutes to complete and will help them build …more
  • benefits and money news
    Free & Cut-Price Meals for Kids
    As families feel the effect of the cost of living increases, VSI Alliance has collated some information on local and national restaurants and supermarket cafés that are offering promotions to provide value for money food to feed …more
  • benefits and money news
    Halifax-Based Free School Uniform Service
    The YMCA in Halifax run a free school uniform service accepting donations of uniforms from all Calderdale schools. To collect or donate uniforms, visit the shop on Crossley Street in Halifax. No appointment or referral is needed. …more
  • benefits and money news
    Worrying about money? Help from Calderdale Council
    Dealing with money related matters can be off-putting, but there is lots of support for you and Calderdale Council have put together a lot of information on their website to help you. The sections below are to help everyone, with …more
  • benefits and money news
    Affordable Broadband Services
    If you or someone in your household claims Universal Credit, you could pay as little as £12 per month for your broadband. All major providers also include people on Pension Credit, Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s …more
  • benefits and money news
    Disability Cost of Living Payment – update
    According to the government’s latest newsletter, most people entitled to the £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment will have been paid automatically between 20 June and 4 July. however, customers can now report a missing …more
  • benefits and money news
    Video: Energy Tariff & Energy Saving Advice From Calderdale Citizens Advice
    At our 27 June 2023 open Meeting, Susan Thorpe from Calderdale Citizens Advice gave us an update on energy tariffs and energy saving in the home. If you need support from Citizens Advice, you can call them on 0808 278 7879, visit …more
  • benefits and money news
    Appliance Running Costs Calculator
    Ever wondered whether it’s cheaper to run a gas or electric oven? Or how about an electric blanket for 3 hours versus turning the heating on for 30 minutes? Well now you can find out. To see how much something costs to run, use …more
  • Energy Saving Trust Newsletter
    Here’s the latest e-newsletter from the Energy Saving Trust. Did you know that from 1 July, energy bills will be around £2,074 a year for a typical household in England, Scotland and Wales? This is around £420 lower than a …more