Cost of Living

We are here if you need us.

We've used this page to pull together all of the main support services offered by us and our partners to help with the rising cost of living.

We'll continue to update this page as and when we're made aware of new ways you can get help.

Money Advice

money advice

We offer free, confidential and independent advice on a full range of money matters to anyone living in a Arcon property. Some of the things we can help with include:

money worries,
managing the money you have in a better way,
working out which debts to pay first,
getting all the right income and benefits entitlement,
where to access affordable credit (Hoot Credit Union),
accessing and managing your bank account,
and more.

If you're pregnant or have a child under four, our Money Advice Team would strongly recommend checking if you're entitled to £17+ a month in 'Healthy Start' payments to help with food costs:

More than 215,000 people are missing out on Healthy Start prepaid cards offering at least £4.25 a week to spend on healthy food, milk and vitamins.

If you’re eligible**, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. The NHS will add your benefit onto this card every four weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

plain liquid cow’s milk
fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect:

Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding
vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to four years old

**To find out if you're eligible, visit the NHS website using the button below.

https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

Broadband for low income families

Broadband is now a key utility for many, but according to regulator Ofcom, one million households are struggling to pay their broadband bill. There are special discounted social tariffs available to help, but millions who eligible are missing out. Check below to see what firms are offering and if you qualify.

https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/broadband-and-tv/broadband-for-low-income-families/

WaterSure Scheme - Help with paying water bills

WaterSure is a scheme which helps some people with their water bills. To apply for the scheme, you must be on benefits and need to use a lot of water either for medical reasons or because your household has a certain number of school-age children. You also need to be on a water meter or be waiting to have one installed.

For more information and how to apply click here - https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/water/water-supply/problems-with-paying-your-water-bill/watersure-scheme-help-with-paying-water-bills/