The Winter Warm Welcome Spaces website has been updated and relaunched so you can search for local spaces.
Find our JNR8 Community Warm Hub details here:
We will share information from support agencies and community groups regularly on this page.
- News & Events
- Advice Line
- Whalley Range Climate Action Group advice
- Whalley Range Community Forum Cost of Living support leaflet
- Benefits, protecting your health
- Easy Read winter health advice
- Warm Hubs
- Other advice
Council support if you’re in financial difficulty
If you are struggling with your finances there are a number of different ways we may be able to support you.
Cost of living advice line
Need help with your food, debts, bills, benefits or to get online?
Request Cost of Living Advice
Discretionary Housing payments
For residents who are entitled to Housing Benefit or the Housing Element on Universal Credit, discretionary payments may be available to help if you are struggling to pay your rent. Find out more and apply for Discretionary Housing payments
Discretionary Council Tax payments
If you are experiencing severe financial hardship through unusual circumstances discretionary payments may be available to you if you are struggling to pay your Council Tax. Find out more and apply for Discretionary Council Tax payments.
Furniture/White Goods
If you’re being resettled or supported to move out of temporary accommodation, the Welfare Provision Scheme might be able to help you with basic furnishings for your new home. No cash awards will be made available and, due to the limited funding available and high level of expected claims, only essential needs will be met, unless there are exceptional circumstances. All furniture or goods provided by the Scheme will:
- Be of good quality
- Be covered by a supplier warranty
- Be delivered to and, where applicable, installed at the address provided
- Meet all current regulations including fire protection; all electrical goods will conform to legislation relating to domestic electrical appliances within the UK.
Find out more and apply for basic items of furniture
Fuel Grants
This will be a one off non repayable grant of up to £49 to support residents with an emergency fuel purchase. This would be normally paid via a PayPoint payment that when collected at the retail unit is transferred to the utility account. Find out more and apply for a fuel grant
Travel Grants
Provision of a one off non repayable amount equivalent to the most economic cost of public transport to and from the resident’s home address for the first four weeks of employment (for example to purchase a bus pass). Find out more and apply for a travel grant
Cash Grants
This will be a one off non repayable grant of between £30 and £60 to support residents following an emergency or crisis. This would be normally received via a PayPoint payment that can be collected at a PayPoint retail unit. Find out more and apply for a cash grant
Free School Meals
Free school meals are available to all pupils in reception, year one and two. If you qualify for certain benefits you can get free school meals for your children all the way through school. Find out more an how to apply for free school meals
LOW-COST RECIPE BOOK IS HERE
This Easter, we can announce a free low-cost recipe book we have developed in collaboration with local NHS nutritionist Lucy Blackstone. Over the Easter holidays, we will be distributing over 20,000 copies to families in need across Manchester. We believe that no child should go hungry. We believe in widening access not only to activity, but to the knowledge of healthy eating and nutritious cooking for Mancunians young and old. With this recipe book, we hope to do just that. Eating well doesn’t have to break the bank, by sharing simple and affordable recipes, we can help families stretch their budgets further. Ensuring that everyone in Manchester has access to delicious and nutritious food, helping you become healthier and happier. View and download your copy of the book here.
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Advice Line for Cost of Living Crisis Support
To support Manchester residents through the cost-of-living crisis, Manchester City Council have an advice line that offers:
- Support with benefits and help with your rent (this is an existing offer made available through the contact centre)
- Advice about debt and paying bills (this will be done in conjunction with Citizen Advice Manchester)
- Food support (residents will receive a call back to understand their needs and connected into a local food offer)
- Support getting online (residents will be linked in with the Council’s digital inclusion team)
Open 9am to 4.30pm, Monday to Friday.
Phone free 0800 023 2692.
The person you speak to will have access to language line for residents whose first language is not English. Sign Video will also be available
You can Fill in the Request Cost of Living Advice form to get online support
Look on manchester.gov.uk/helpinghands for advice on the cost of living crisis.
Warm spaces in libraries across Manchester
Every library in Manchester is a warm space; a free, welcome, safe space which residents of all ages can come in and stay all day with lots of resources and support, such as:
- Hot drinks. The self-service hot drinks are free.
- Comfy seating and spaces for all ages.
- Free internet and free wifi
- Newspapers.
- Information and advice.
- Digital drop-ins one day a week.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice Manchester offers free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Find out more on the Citizens Advice website.
Help your family stay healthy and apply for your prepaid Healthy Start card
For more information and to apply to the NHS Healthy Start scheme, visit: www.healthystart.nhs.uk Or call the on 0300 330 7010
Lets Get Digital
As the cost of living crisis continues, the MCC Digital Inclusion team want to share the support they can offer to residents who are struggling.
From cheap laptops and PCs to free WiFi and smartphones, they can get the kit and data that residents need to get online and for those who need to boost their digital skills, there are many locations across the city offering free classes and drop ins. They have created this directory where you can filter by postcode or ward to find your nearest class.
They also offer free telephone support to people who have internet access at home, but don’t have the skills or confidence to use it effectively. To access this free support,
Text: 07860 064128 or
Email: digitalinclusion@manchester.gov.uk
Digital exclusion is far more likely to affect those on low incomes, can cost
households up to £560 per year from the missed savings of shopping and paying bills online, and will negatively affect earnings. People with higher digital skills earn 3-10% more than those with low skills, make greater savings online and can access public services more easily. They believe that digital inclusion is an essential part of the response to the cost–of–living crisis. Please get in touch or see our website to find out more: www.letsgetdigitalmanchester.com
View this leaflet which shares QR codes to money saving apps and websites
Manchester Local Care Organisation
Need information on local support this Winter?
Download the neighbourhood Winter booklets for support this winter
Max Your Money
The Growth Company launched this initiative to support GM residents with the cost of living crisis. Max Your Money allows residents to easily understand what services they offer which can help them maximise their income whether it is finding employment, securing an additional job, gaining new skills to secure a better job or accessing support to develop their business.
They are working with a partner network which includes Citizen’s Advice, Trussell Trust & GM Poverty Action who will promote their offer to their customers, many of whom are accessing advice services for the first time.
Winterwise, A new guide to keeping well during winter
The Greater Manchester Ageing Hub has partnered with national older person’s charity Independent Age to launch Winterwise, a new guide to keeping well during the winter period.
More than 325,000 printed guides are being distributed across Greater Manchester. The guide brings together key information for older people on cost of living support with messages focusing on three themes: ‘Stay warm’, ‘Stay safe’ and ‘Stay well’.
- ‘Stay warm’: Providing information about the financial support that older people could access to help them with rising energy costs
- ‘Stay safe’: Focusing on home safety advice for older people, including fire safety, how to spot and report scams, and what to do if they fall
- ‘Stay well’: Tips and advice on mental health and wellbeing, eating well and keeping active
To get a physical copy please look out for local distributions such as at libraries, pharmacies, warm hubs and more, or call Independent Age on 0800 319 6789.
Online version of the guide to keeping well during the winter period.
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To support Manchester residents through the cost-of-living crisis, Manchester City Council will be providing an advice line that will offer:
1. Support with benefits and help with your rent (this is an existing offer made available through the contact centre)
2. Advice about debt and paying bills (this will be done in conjunction with Citizen Advice Manchester)
3. Food support (residents will receive a call back to understand their needs and connected into a local food offer)
4. Support getting online (residents will be linked in with the Council’s digital inclusion team)
How to contact
The advice line can be accessed via a free phone number 0800 023 2692. The line will be open 9:00-4:30 Monday to Friday.
Agents on the phone line will have access to language line for those residents whose first language is not English
Sign Video will also be available for residents who may require this facility.
An on line form will be available at https://www.manchester.gov.uk/helpinghands for those who do not
wish to contact by phone.
The advice line will also have its own web page that will have links to information of how residents are
able to access support. https://www.manchester.gov.uk/helpinghands
Whalley Range Climate Action Group energy saving information
PDF Version (clearer with clickable links) WRCF Cost of Living leaflet Print
Easy Read format Winter Vaccination and Cost of Living advice
Warm spaces are opening up across the city: a place to keep warm and save on energy costs, a place to get advice, a cuppa, spend time with others or enjoy some quiet time.
St Margaret’s Centre welcome you to their Warm Cafe every Thursday from 13th October-1pm-3pm, over the colder months.
We want you to be able to switch your heating off at home to help save on your energy bills.
Drinks and snacks will be available free of charge.
So come to keep warm, have a natter and a brew with us.
Donations and bakes are also welcome.
Energy Price Guarantee
From 1 October 2022, the Energy Price Guarantee will reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas so that a typical household in Great Britain pays, on average, around £2,500 a year on their energy bill, for the next 2 years. Beware of scams – there is no need to apply and you will never be asked for bank details.
This will save the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices from October and is in addition to the £400 energy bills discount for all households.
More information
