Latest Update: 26/08/2022
To help individuals and organisations access the local and national support available around the 'Cost of Living Crisis', we have begun to compile a list of resources below. Please get in touch with us by emailing contact@3sg.org.uk if you would like us to add to the list below:
Community Wellbeing Hub
Partners from across Bath and North East Somerset have come together to pledge help and support for local people with the rising cost of living.
A wide range of agencies, third sector organisations and community groups - working under the umbrella of the Community Wellbeing Hub - have joined forces with Bath & North East Somerset Council and HCRG Care Group to help residents with money matters, bills, benefits, energy costs, food, housing, mental health support, jobs and skills, support for carers and other services.
The move follows the announcement on Friday 26th August that the energy price cap is rising from £1,971 to £3,549 a year from October.
The Community Wellbeing Hub provides a single telephone number 0300 247 0050 to access help from key local agencies, including Citizens Advice, Age UK and Bath Mind. The Hub has provided support - particularly to the most vulnerable - during the pandemic and provides links to a wide range of community groups and information about what services are available.
The Hub can be contacted Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
B&NES Council - Money Matters Signposting
In response to the concerns and difficulties experienced by some families in B&NES around food insecurity and fuel bill increases, B&NES council have set up a dedicated Money Matters section on Live Well B&NES.
This provides a wide range of information and signposting, with 29 organisations listed ranging from those which help with school uniforms to financial support and advice and the Community Well-being Hub.
Cost of living support (benefits, energy, food, debt, childcare costs, mental health support etc.)
Paying for care and support, planning for future care costs etc
CleanSlate - Financial Support
Quids in! is the financial resilience initiative run by CleanSlate Training & Employment CIC, a West of England-based social enterprise helping people on low incomes to become better off.
They support people to re-think how they organise their finances, help them find work or better work, and enable them to get online. Quids in! publishes a light and easy-to-read, personal finance magazine for people on benefits, in social housing or on low pay, as well as a range of guides, a monthly e-newsletter and interactive tools on quidsinmagazine.com, reaching over 160,000 people per year.
They also have a professional network, Quids in! Pro, which has 2,000 subscribers made up of advisers, housing professionals and decision-makers across the UK.
To find out about all the local training on offer, visit: cleanslateltd.co.uk
Bath Mind - Mental Health Support
Financial struggles can weigh heavily on our shoulders, and poorly impact our mental health. When financial strains worsen, as they have for many due to the spike in the cost of living, our mental health often takes a back seat and is undermined by the increased stress. Those with existing mental health issues are likely to find the increased costs of living hinder their wellbeing and the task of managing money becomes harder.
Bath Mind has recognised this, and the 'vicious cycle' that can prevail in these circumstances, and has put together a guide with resources to help those struggling. You can find their advice here.
Government Support
The government has launched a 'Help for Households' campaign to outline the cost of living support they have available.
Discounts and offers available from businesses to help with the cost of living.
Your Park Bristol & Bath
Likewise, Your Park Bristol and Bath understand the links between rising costs, poverty and poor mental wellbeing. With NHS mental health referrals reaching a record 4.3 million last year, reliance on support from local charities is unsurprisingly on the rise during this cost of living crisis. Wellbeing resources, as well as practical and financial support and advice, are more invaluable than ever, and so it's worth mentioning that Roots to Wellbeing provide a six week course of therapy in Bristol's parks for those struggling with mental health, and have proven to be very effective