Campaign launched in Swindon to tackle cost of living crisis

Swindon Borough Council, Citizens Advice Swindon and Crosslight Advice have joined forces to launch a new campaign to help local residents mitigate the cost of living crisis.

It has been estimated that £15bn in benefits go unclaimed each year. This includes 1.3m families who do not take up an offer of up to £2,000 a year for childcare costs, while it is estimated around 850,000 eligible households are missing out on Pension Credit worth an average of £1,900 a year.

The Council and Citizens Advice Swindon are urging residents to take 10 minutes to use one of the online benefits calculators to check if there are any benefits they could be claiming.

Are you getting the right support during the cost of living crisis?

1. Check to make sure you’re not one of up to 7 million people in the UK missing out on income-related state benefits
2. If you’re over State Pension age check if you’re eligible for Pension Credit which provides extra money for living costs and access to other help
3. Over one million families are missing out on up to £2,000 a year towards childcare costs - check what help you could get
4. If Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn't cover all of your rent, check to see if you can make a claim for a discretionary housing payment
5. Swindon residents of working age who claim means-tested benefits, such as Universal Credit or employment and support allowance, may be eligible to apply for Council Tax Support
6. Check if you or your family may be entitled to benefits for those experiencing illness or disability
7. If you are a carer, you may be entitled to Carer’s Allowance and/or an extra amount called the ‘carer element’ within Universal Credit. This could mean £69.70 a week in Carer’s Allowance if you care for someone at least 35 hours a week and you, the person you care for and the type of care you provide meets the criteria
8. Get free and impartial energy saving advice from Warm & Safe Wiltshire (0800 038 5722) to help manage energy costs and keep your home warm
9. Contact your energy supplier if you are struggling to pay for energy or think you may get into difficulty – if you already have energy debts, some larger suppliers offer grants to help pay this off
10. Contact Swindon Citizens Advice (0808 278 7813) if you’re struggling to afford enough food to discuss options which could include a referral to the food bank in Swindon
11. If you're at least 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four years old, you might be able to get free vitamins and Healthy Start vouchers for milk, fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk
12. If you or your child receive certain benefits, you can apply to the Council for free school meals from Year 3 and above
13. Check if your child is eligible for free holiday provision through the Holiday Activities and Food Programme running in the summer and Christmas holidays
14. If you’re in debt, seek advice early rather than let things spiral out of control. Contact Citizens Advice Swindon (0808 278 7813), StepChange (0800 138 1111), National Debtline (0808 808 4000) or Crosslight Advice (020 7052 0318) for help
15. Households earning below £16,480 can apply for a 50 per cent discount on their water bill through Thames Water’s WaterHelp scheme or call their Extra Care Services Team on 0800 009 3652
16. The Council’s Emergency Assistance Fund provides emergency assistance to Swindon residents who most need it

Nearly 1 in 10 families in Swindon live in fuel poverty

The most recent government figures (2019) show that almost one in 10 families (9,402) in Swindon are in fuel poverty, while almost 30,000 households received £1.5m worth of support between October 2021 and March 2022 to help with the cost of heating and food, administered by the Council through the Household Support Fund.

Councillor Cathy Martyn, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Health Inequalities and Housing, said: “Please use this information to check whether you’re eligible for any unclaimed state benefits, as well as seeking expert support from Citizens Advice Swindon, Crosslight Advice and other organisations who can advise and help you.

“It’s hugely stressful if you’re struggling to pay your bills, or if you’re already in debt, so please contact them as soon as possible to get help and advice. You might find you’re one of the 1.3M people who is entitled to claim childcare costs, or you could be eligible for Pension Credit or income-related state benefits. There are experts available who will support and guide you to access help, which could include financial help.”

Claire Newport, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Swindon, said: “Demand for our service is continuing to rise as the cost of living crisis starts to bite; soaring energy bills and rising food prices are seeing many families struggling to keep up with everyday costs. Levels of personal debt are increasing, and we are referring more and more people for foodbank support or help from their energy suppliers. We want to encourage people to seek advice now rather than letting things spiral out of control.

“Our advisers are on hand to help identify ways to maximise your income; a simple benefits check could result in vital additional income for many people. If you are already in receipt of benefits we would encourage you to seek advice to check on further entitlement before making any changes, in particular, residents should be especially careful if they are in receipt of existing benefits, as moving to Universal Credit could, in some cases, result in them being worse off.”

Amy Williams, Swindon Branch Manager of Crosslight Advice, said: “The rising cost of living is having a devastating effect on many households, with some struggling to even afford food or pay their essential bills. As a result, more people than ever before are finding themselves in debt – at Crosslight Advice, demand for our service has risen by over 60 per cent.

“These are really tough times, and trying to make ends meet or deal with debt can be incredibly stressful and worrying. Crosslight Advice exists to provide advice and support to anyone living under the burden of problem debt, as well as offering money education and budget coaching to help people navigate the current crisis.”

Citizens Advice Swindon is looking for help to understand the impact of the cost of living increases in Swindon. By completing this short survey open until 17 June, residents can help to build a realistic picture of how the community is being affected by the sudden rise in everyday costs.

Later this month Greatest Hits Radio’s charity Cash for Kids is raising money to help support families who are struggling with the cost of living, you can find out more about Cash for Kids Day and donate at greatesthitsradio.co.uk/cfkday

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