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If you need help, please make sure you get support from a recognised provider to get the right advice for your circumstances.
Here is a round-up of some of the services available in North Somerset…
Housing
Always contact your landlord or lender if you’re struggling to pay your rent or mortgage as they may be able to offer you help and advice.
Support is available if you’re worried about rent payments, concerned your landlord wants to evict you, or if there are maintenance issues with your home, like damp or heating problems.
Where to go for help:
- Citizens Advice North Somerset provides free, impartial and confidential advice. Visit their advice shop at The Sovereign in Weston-super-Mare or one of their outreach sessions across North Somerset.
- Shelter can help with free legal advice and their emergency helpline is open 365 days a year, free of charge.
- National Debtline is a free debt advice agency giving advice on solving debt problems. It may be able to help you apply for ‘breathing space’, a government scheme to give you extra time to find a solution to your debt problems.
- For renters, check to see if you can claim any help with housing costs, such as Universal Credit or housing benefit.
- Mortgage holders may be able to extend their mortgage term or switch to interest-only payments.
- If you are threatened with homelessness, contact us.
- The Centre for Sustainable Energy has advice about saving money on energy bills and making your home warmer.
- Find out if you are entitled to any additional benefits to boost your income.
- A round-up of information aboutcost of living is available on our website.
Families
Free activity sessions take place during school holidays for children and young people who get benefits-related free school meals.
Booking are now being taken for our holiday, activities and food programme, known as HAF, sessions this winter.
You’ll need to have a HAF number for your child. Previous reference numbers can be used again.
Find out more about HAF and see if your child is eligible by visiting our website.
Food support
Local food support is available across North Somerset if you’re struggling to afford food during the ongoing cost of living crisis.
A list of food banks, community larders, lunch clubs and pantries (that we’re aware of) are on our website.
Links to local community fridges for discounted food are also available on the Better Health North Somerset website.
If you are accessing food banks, you’ll need a voucher from your doctor, health visitor, social worker, family support worker or Citizens Advice North Somerset. The voucher is then exchanged at the food bank for a food parcel.
If you have children, check whether you are eligible for free school meals.
Financial help
We can offer financial help if you’re struggling to afford food, clothing, furniture or energy bills.
If you are struggling with rising living costs and need extra help to afford energy and water bills, food, and other essential living needs, you may be eligible for our household support fund.
To be eligible, you must be a household in North Somerset experiencing financial hardship and not have enough resources to meet your immediate short-term needs.
Just complete an online application form and provide us with some details.
Our welfare provision scheme also gives short-term financial help in a crisis. It covers gas and electricity, food, clothing, white goods, furniture, household equipment, travel and more.
The amount of help you’ll be given depends on your individual circumstances. You can apply twice in any 12 month period.
Through these financial support schemes, we’ve helped thousands of pensioners, working age CTS claimants, care experienced young people as well provided funds to the Handy Person Scheme, Salvation Army, Fuel Bank and the Citizen Advice Bureau Surviving Winter grant.
For more information, including eligibility, visit the cost of living pages on our website.
Keeping warm and well
Welcoming spaces are once again open in community venues across North Somerset for people to meet others and access support.
Community living rooms are welcoming and warm places to come together with other members of the community.
Find your local one using the map on our website.
Priority services register
You or your loved ones might be eligible to be on the priority services register for your water and power suppliers.
Energy suppliers and utility companies keep a register of their more vulnerable customers who need to be given priority in the event of a loss of service.
Being on the register means you’ll get advance notice of planned power cuts, priority support in an emergency, regular meter-reading services and other help.
It’s free to join but you must be eligible, such as being of state pension age, being disabled or with a long-term medical condition, recovering from injury or more.
Each company compiles their own list so you’ll need to contact individual utility suppliers to register.
It’s also important to look after our mental as well as physical wellbeing, especially during these short days and long winter nights.
A round-up of ideas and links to different agencies is available on our website.
Council Christmas opening hours
If you need to contact us or visit one of our venues over Christmas, remember our opening hours change at some venues.
Visit our website for details.