Help for Households

Benefits, money and debt

There is help available to support you. Visit Infolink for more details of organisations able to support.

Grants

A grant is an amount of money that a government or local authority gives to an individual or an organisation for a particular purpose, such as support with housing costs.

If you are struggling financially, there are grants available which you may be eligible to apply for which can help lessen the burden.  The following support is administered by Suffolk County Council:

Household Support Fund

For more information on how Suffolk is allocating Household Support Funding locally, please visit our Household Support Fund webpage.

The Local Welfare Assistance Scheme

The Local Welfare Assistance Scheme (LWAS) helps those experiencing financial hardship. This could mean you are struggling to afford the basics, such as food, heating, clothing and fuel, or to pay your household bills. There are lots of reasons why you may be in hardship and if you are eligible, LWAS can provide financial help.

The scheme is not intended as emergency support and only one award can be made to an eligible household in a 6-month period. The LWAS is not intended as long-term support. The quickest way to make an application is via the webform, using your smartphone, tablet or computer. If you have all the information and documents required to make an online application then the webform will take approximately 15 minutes to complete. If you are unable to make an application for support yourself, please contact your local Citizens Advice.

To find out whether you are eligible for support and to make an application, please visit the Local Welfare Assistance Scheme webpage.

• Find out about deals and discounts from major UK businesses as part of the Government’s Help for Households campaign.
• Suffolk Infolink has a directory of Foodbanks in Suffolk - please note that some require referrals.
• Find a pop-up or top up shop on Suffolk Infolink - These are for anyone struggling financially to buy food. No referral needed just bring an empty shopping bag.  £2 a bag for lots of groceries available at various locations across Suffolk
• Period products are available for free through the Pride and Periods scheme in selected Suffolk Libraries

• The Government website has information on help that you could be entitled to which will help with energy bill payment 
• The Warm Homes Suffolk programme helps Suffolk residents to make it cheaper to heat their homes through various energy efficiency measures
• Specific support is available through Warm Homes Suffolk for pre-payment meter customers. Pre-payment meter customers who would like support with their energy bills can contact prepay@eastsuffolk.gov.uk to find out more, or call Prepay West 07769 365796 or Prepay East 07769 366229. The support covers the whole of Suffolk and is available for all residents, whether they are in social housing, council tenants, owner occupiers or private renters. 
• Do you use Oil for your heating? Over 46,000 households in Suffolk do.  You may benefit from Community Action Suffolk's community oil buying scheme.  They offer pre-payment and direct debit schemes.  Please note, they do not offer a ‘buy now, pay later’ scheme.  For more information visit the Community Action Suffolk website.
• Oil buying clubs in Suffolk could help reduce the amount you pay as group buying yields better deals. Search for your nearest on the Oil Club website.

Help for Households

The Government Help for Households website provides more information about eligibility for Cost of Living payments, as well as help with rent payments, water bills and more. 

Housing support via District and Borough Councils

Funding has been given to local District and Borough Councils via the Household Support Fund, to support locally with housing costs. If you need support with housing costs, it is recommended that you discuss your circumstances with your local Housing Needs Team at your District or Borough Council, so that they can help identify what options may be available to you and the support you might require. Please note, the team are unable to support with mortgage assistance as part of the Household Support Fund.

To find out who your local District or Borough Council is, you can use the Postcode Checker at GOV.UK. 

To contact your local housing team, please visit:

• East Suffolk Council
• Ipswich Borough Council
• Mid Suffolk and Babergh Councils
• West Suffolk Council

• Suffolk Infolink is a useful resource to add your postcode or home village/town name and the type of support you are looking for eg 'debt advice' so that you can see what support is available near to you.
• Babergh District Council - Cost of Living Support
• East Suffolk Council - Ease the Squeeze
• Ipswich Borough Council - Support for Communities
• Mid Suffolk District Council - Cost of Living Support
• West Suffolk Council - Cost of Living

Please be aware that scammers take advantage of people when they are vulnerable.  You may find yourself more susceptible to scams when distracted and worried about your financial situation.  

Be scam aware

Follow Suffolk County Council's Trading Standards on social media to see the most up to date advice and scams circulating

• Like Suffolk Trading Standards on Facebook.
• Follow Suffolk Trading Standards on Twitter.
• Follow Suffolk Trading Standards on Instagram.
• Subscribe to Suffolk Trading Standards on YouTube.

Always report a scam

Please report scams to Trading Standards via Citizens Advice Consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or via their online reporting service. If you have lost money or given a scammer your financial details, contact your bank immediately.

Forward scam text messages to 7726.

Send scam emails to the National Cyber Security Centre at report@phishing.gov.uk

Your mental health may suffer if you are worried about the cost of living pressures.  We have advice and guidance to support you through the challenges on Suffolk Infolink.

It is important that you do not feel alone, and continuing connections in your local community can be helpful in keeping you active and involved.  You can find groups, activities and support in your local area by adding your postcode in to Suffolk Infolink

• Rural Coffee Caravan - Find out about Meet up Mondays, Rural Coffee Caravan visits near you and Coffee and Friends events.
• Suffolk Libraries - at the heart of your community, there are lots of reasons to visit your local library.