Kensington & Chelsea - Cost of living

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Housing Support Fund eligibility

There is help available for residents of the Borough struggling with household bills, food and clothing.

The Council has made available £1.15m to those most in need of support. Payments will be made to the following residents:

  • Families entitled to Free School Meals will receive £3 per week-day per pupil during the school holidays.
  • Residents of pensionable age in receipt of Council Tax Reduction, Housing Benefit or Universal Credit Housing Costs, will receive a payment of £150.
  • Care Leavers living in their own accommodation in need of subsistence support will receive a £100 grant.
  • Vulnerable families known to Family Services in need of subsistence support will receive a £50 grant.
  • Vulnerable families with no recourse to public funds and those placed in hotels by the Home Office will receive £100.

Organisations offering support, advice and assistance

If you need support, you can also contact the following organisations.

 

Blenheim CDP

The Blenheim CDP is a charity that provides support services for drug and alcohol users, families and their carers in Kensington and Chelsea. This includes helping people to gain access into education, training and employment.

 

The Campden Charities

Campden Charities is a local charity that is here to support Kensington residents in financial need. Our grants can improve the circumstances of families and individuals on low income. Our focus is to support people in training and education to gain employment and to help people in employment to maintain it and work towards improving their long term employment prospects. However if you are eligible for funding there are many ways in which we can support you.

 

ClementJames Centre

Located in North Kensington, the ClementJames Centre is a charity that delivers a programme of education, employment and support, providing opportunities to enable over 1,000 local people each year to achieve their potential.

 

Nova New Opportunities

Nova is a local charity that offers information, advice and guidance to progress into work including help with CVs and job applications. The website lists details of courses and CV workshops, interview skills coaching, and sessions to write application forms and covering letters.

 

Open Age

Open Age is a local charity to keep older people in Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea active and stimulated. The New Futures 50 Plus programme supports people over 50 into employment and training. There is also a drop-in information service.

 

Third Age Foundation

The Third Age Foundation helps those aged 40+ find a new direction, offering training and support to help people find their way back into work. Courses include IT skills, business advice, personal development and more.

Debt Respite Scheme (Breathing Space)

The Government has created the Debt Respite Scheme in recognition of the challenges people can face dealing with debt.  It is designed to give you the opportunity to take control of your finances and put them on a sustainable footing. 

There are two different options:

Breathing Space Moratorium

This allows a debtor 60 calendar days where no debt recovery action can be taken. The debtor must engage with debt advice.

 

Mental Health Crisis Moratorium

This route will enable protection to the debtor for the period they are receiving mental health crisis treatment, then for a further 30 days, and then for a further 60 days breathing space moratorium.

Find out more details about Breathing Space https://breathing-spaceuk.co.uk/?gclid=CjwKCAjw-

 

Nucleus Legal Advice

Local advice centre with specialist debt counsellors and money advisers.

contact by phone on 020 7373 4005

visit the Nucleus website https://www.nucleus.org.uk/

Community groups can refer local people for help using the online form form.

Use the debt advice line by calling 020 3727 9300

 

Advice UK

Advice UK is a UK network of advice and information agencies.

Phone on 020 7469 5700

or visit the Advice UK website https://www.adviceuk.org.uk/

 

StepChange

StepChange is a charity helping people who are in debt through free, independent information and advice.

contact by phone on 0800 138 1111

or visit the StepChange website https://www.stepchange.org/

 

Shelter

Shelter offers free confidential advice on housing, debt and welfare benefits.

contact the Housing advice helpline on 0808 800 4444

or visit Shelter's website https://england.shelter.org.uk/

 

Payplan

Payplan provides a free debt management service to people with debt problems.

Phone on 0800 716 239

Visit Payplan's website https://www.payplan.com/

 

MoneyHelper

This is an independent advice service set up by Government.

Phone on 0800 138 7777

Visit MoneyHelper https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en?source=mas

 

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice offers information on a wide range of issues including money and debt.

Phone on 0844 826 9708

visit the Citizens Advice website https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

 

National Debtline

The National Debtline is a national telephone helpline for people with debt problems in England, Scotland and Wales. The service is free, confidential and independent.

contact by phone on 0808 808 4000

 

Benefits

Discretionary Housing Payment can help if you are struggling to pay your rent. You must live in Kensington and Chelsea to apply for it. To get a discretionary payment towards your rent you must either:

  • be entitled to some Housing Benefit from us or
  • be getting Universal Credit that includes something towards your housing costs.

The Housing and Employment Service offers specialised and friendly one-to-one support to help you into work or training.

Our Employment Support Officers will also help you to tackle other barriers to work such as housing or welfare benefits. Many of our residents have said that the help they have received from the service has been a huge benefit to them in many situations providing important information and guidelines to help improve their lives.

How we can help

The Housing and Employment Team can help you to:

  • Find work and training – help with CV’s, job searching, application forms, and interview practice.
  • Apply for welfare benefits – help and advice on applying for welfare benefits.
  • Manage money and income maximisation – help to appeal welfare benefit decisions, budgeting, apply for grants, and reduce debt.
  • Access other specialist services – we also work in partnership with other services to help you access specialist support if needed.

The Families and Communities Employment Service (FACES)

  • FACES offers professional and friendly one-to-one support to help you into work, training or education.
  • Registered users will receive the following support:
  • a team of coaches committed to helping residents find work and develop skills
  • help dealing with barriers to work, such as childcare, housing or benefit advice
  • training and work experience opportunities to build confidence and readiness for work.

If you need support with your mental health and wellbeing or someone to talk to, please call your GP or contact:

 

Every Mind Matters

Every Mind Matters to get your free online personal Mind Plan including simple tips and advice for you to look after your mental wellbeing during Coronavirus. Visit https://www.nhs.uk/every-mind-matters/

 

Good Thinking

If you are anxious, stressed, depressed or having trouble sleeping. This has NHS-approved mental health tools and advice to support you. Visit https://www.good-thinking.uk/

 

Community Living Well

Services are available for people aged 16 and over for people registered with a GP in Kensington and Chelsea. Visit https://communitylivingwell.co.uk/

 

The NHS Single Point of Access Line - call 0800 0234 650 – open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You can call NHS 111 if you or someone you know needs urgent care, but it's not life threatening.

 

The Samaritans – call 0330 094 5717 or freephone 116 123 – open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

 

The Listening Place – call 020 3906 7676 – open from 9am to 9pm, seven days a week

 

There are a number of organisations that can help when you need it most, including services listed above.

 

The Campaign Against Living Miserably

CALM supports men in Kensington and Chelsea of any age who are down, in crisis or need to talk. Support is via their helpline, webchat and website.

Visit https://www.thecalmzone.net/

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