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 the areas needed and covering as much of our Diocese as possible.
*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* updated 19/05/23
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.
Walsall Council – Help with cost of living: https://go.walsall.gov.uk/bene...
Wolverhampton Council– Help with cost of living: https://www.wolverhampton.gov....
Stoke-on-Trent – Stronger Together: https://www.stoke.gov.uk/stron...
Shropshire County Council: https://shropshire.gov.uk/cost...
Staffordshire County Council: Here to help - cost of living support - Staffordshire County Council
Sandwell Council: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/co...
Dudley Council: https://www.dudley.gov.uk/coun...
Telford Council: https://www.telford.gov.uk/inf...
Lichfield District Council: https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk...
East Staffs Council: Cost of Living Support | ESBC (eaststaffsbc.gov.uk)
National Autistic Society: https://www.autism.org.uk/what...
The following link is to some general information about the Household Support Fund in Staffordshire. The page also links to Family Hubs pages on Facebook that give information on a District by District basis: Household support fund - Staffordshire County Council
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.
Financial Conduct Authority have resources on dealing with the financial impact of rising costs of living.
South East Staffs CAB contact details are: By phone (Monday to Friday 9.00am to 5.00pm): 0808 278 7977By email via SES CAB - Email Us (casestaffs.org.uk)
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/
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:
City of Wolverhampton Warm Spaces: https://www.wolverhampton.gov....
Lichfield District Council: https://www.lichfielddc.gov.uk...
Warm Welcomes in the Dudley Borough: https://www.dudleycvs.org.uk/w...
Shropshire Council: https://shropshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living-help/a-warm-welcome-in-shropshire/
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/init... and https://www.placesofwelcome.or...
Warm Welcome: https://www.warmwelcome.uk/
Sandwell Council network of Warm Spaces: https://www.sandwell.gov.uk/warmspaces
East Staffs: https://www.eaststaffsbc.gov.u...
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/
Children’s Society producing updates and campaigning around cost of living: Children in a Cost of Living Crisis | The Children's Society (childrenssociety.org.uk)
Advice for churches on heating their buildings: The Church of England has published both a guidance document and a set of links to further help and further practical advice on how churches can save money and energy PO0518 COFE PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS DOCUMENT (PRINT) V2.pdf (churchofengland.org)
Grant support for churches with projects helping 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 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).