Money helper drop in taking place at The Shores Centre on March 11

THE COST of energy is very high at the moment and it is causing many people to worry. Usually if you are worried about an increase in your energy bill you can respond by switching to a better deal, but better deals are unlikely to be found at the present time. In order to take a proactive approach to providing people with assistance, Withernsea Big Local invited representatives across all stretches of the community to meet as a partnership. None of those present at the first meeting have any influence over energy prices, which is a national problem, but they were able to exchange information and best practice to ensure that residents in our area have access to a wealth of information about what households can do in response to the increase in prices.

A drop in session is to be held on Friday, March 11 between 11 am and 3 pm at Shores where residents can come to obtain further information. The agencies who will be present have seen an increase in the number of people reaching out for support. The message they want to deliver as loudly as possible is that those who need help should know that they are not alone. Reaching out for help as soon as possible maximises the options open to them. Many who need help don’t ask for it until the very last minute when action which can be taken is limited - with more time comes more options.

If you are struggling, reach out to someone whether it’s Hull and East Yorkshire Mind, your church, your ward councillors or any of the organisations listed here. They say a problem shared is a problem halved. This drop-in session shows there are a number of agencies ready and willing to listen to you. They are not guaranteed to have the answer but if they don’t there is a good chance they can signpost you to someone who does. Even if the problem can’t be completely fixed it can be reduced to something which feels more manageable. Giving your finances a regular health check is a good way of ensuring you maximise your income and that the money you have to spend works as hard for you as possible. Review whether you can increase your income by claiming benefits and government grants or by checking you are being paid the right wage. Below is a list of useful websites where you can find a wealth of information about what you could be entitled to.

If you need further assistance you can make an appointment to speak to an advisor of Citizens Advice at Shores by telephoning 01482 224511. Unity in Community Charity has funds for energy vouchers for residents of Hull and East Yorkshire. These are not linked to benefits but are limited to pre-payment gas or electric meters. Contact 01482 420836 Monday – Thursday 9am – 4pm and Friday 9am – 2pm. Make sure you take meter readings regularly – ideally as soon as you can after being requested to do so – so you are paying for what you actually use, and not what your energy provider thinks you are using. Look for savings that you can make by reducing energy which is being wasted. Are there any draughts which can be blocked? Can appliances be turned off and not left on standby. Can any improvements be made to the insulation of your home? East Riding homeowners and private sector tenants are able to install cavity wall and loft insulation for £99 a measure subject to the survey of the property. If you think you may require insulation to your home or require more information on the funding they can offer, please contact Heat Insulation Ltd to book your free survey on 01482 588591. You can also apply online at www.heat-insulation.co.uk.

Are the financial products you and your family use the best for you? Expensive overdrafts and loans can make managing limited finances even more difficult. HEY Credit Union are a local, not-forprofit provider of financial services, and anyone who lives or works locally is welcome to join. They are owned by their members and are dedicated to helping improve their financial wellbeing through a range of products and services. These include safe savings, to help save for a family event or for a rainy day, and affordable loans, to help spread the cost-of-living expenses or an unexpected purchase. They can be contacted by phone on 01482 778753, by email at info@hullandeycu.co.uk, or in branch at the Shores Centre on Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 9am and 12 noon.

Organisations represented at the meeting:

● Withernsea Big Local

● South East Holderness Ward Councillors

● East Riding Yorkshire Council Welfare Visiting Team

● DWP

● HWRCC

● Withernsea Town Council

● HEY Credit Union

● Citizens Advice Bureau

● Shores Centre

● Churches Together

● Hull and East Yorkshire Mind

Useful websites

● Citizens Advice : www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

● Welfare Visiting team: www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/h ousing-benefit-and-council-taxsupport/welfare-visiting-team/

● Energy efficiency at home: www.eastriding.gov.uk/housing/e nergy-efficiency/energy-efficiencyat-home/

● SHoRes Center: https://shores.org.uk/

● Hull & East Yorkshire Credit Union: https://hullandeycu.co.uk/

● Withernsea Big Local: https://www.withernseabiglocal.c o.uk/

● Home – Hull and East Yorkshire Mind: https://www.mind.org.uk/