Cost of Living Toolkit

Cost of Living Tool Kit

Helping you navigate through the current cost of living crisis WALLCHART INSIDE Get Involved & Get Creative

• Help & Advice

• Money Saving Tips

• How to Budget

Getting through the cost of living crisis

We understand, that with the rise in inflation, your household bills have increased. We have developed this useful tool kit to help you consider options which may help you to navigate the times ahead.

Inside this Guide:

Helpful tips and advice, people you can contact, money saving activities the whole household can get involved with!

What’s in my toolkit?

How we can help Welfare Team

The Welfare Team have dedicated advisers that can assist you with budgeting, benefit checks, funding, affordability, employment and training advice.

Please email: welfare@fairhive.co.uk or contact 01296 732600

Community Hub

Our Community Hub is a regular drop-in event that is open for anyone in the community.

Hardship Fund

If you’re having financial difficulty in sustaining your home, you may be eligible to apply to our Hardship Fund for assistance.

We may be able to offer help with options such as energy and food vouchers, white goods, and carpets.

Please email welfare@fairhive.co.uk for more information.

We have agencies who attend each week to provide support and advice on housing, employment, training, wellbeing and qualifications.

Located at the Vineyard, Gatehouse Close, Aylesbury, HP19 8DN

Every Tuesday morning from 9.45am until 12pm.

GatehouseClose

BrooksMews

A418OxfordRoad

BearBrook

Aylesbury Hub

How we can help

Employment Support

Chat to us about your career prospects and we can refer you for free career coaching and support with applications, CV writing and so much more.

To get six months of FREE access to online support with Outplacement first email hello@fairhive.co.uk

SCAN the QR code to visit the webpage

Grants

We can offer a range of grants to support individuals or groups in our community.

There are lots of opportunities to assist you, these could include paying for sports lessons, swimming clubs, a driving test, childcare costs, training and college courses.

To find out more contact our Grants Officer by email: tcfgrant@fairhive.co.uk

Talk to the Energy Saving Experts Vodafone Sim Cards

We love working with LEAP because they are so passionate about helping everyone to save energy and find more cost effective solutions for running your home.

Find out how to apply on the LEAP website: www.applyforleap.org.uk

Are you struggling to be connected due to financial hardship?

We can offer a free Sim card, subject to eligibility, which offers six months free calls, free texts and 20GB of monthly data usage.

To apply please contact welfare@fairhive.co.uk or call 01296 732600.

People you can contact

Cost of living support from the Government.

This includes income and disability benefits, bills and allowances, childcare, housing and travel.

Check out the Gov website for more information: www.gov.uk/cost-of-living

Help & Advice

Mind - for mental health support www.mind.org.uk

Money Supermarket - for deals from a number of suppliers all in one place www.moneysupermarket.com

Citizens Advice Bucksfor debt support citizensadvicebucks.org.uk

Home insurance

Are you aware that the National Housing Federation (NHF) run a discounted scheme for social housing tenants?

The scheme protects the contents of your home and includes accidental damage.

For more information visit: www.thistletenants-scotland.co.uk

Grants & Funding

Government Benefits for you - check which benefits and financial support you can get www.gov.uk/check-benefits-financial-support

Struggling with Debt

Do you owe money which is causing concern? Bailiffs or credit card bills?

We have partnered with Citizens Advice who can assist you with debt advice and debt solutions.

Please contact our Welfare Team at welfare@fairhive.co.uk or 01296 732600 for a referral.

National Debtline - get advice today about managing your debts www.nationaldebtline.org

Heart of Bucks - more information about funding available to people in Bucks www.heartofbucks.org/apply-for-a-grant

Thomas Hickman Charity - financial grants available for residents of Aylesbury www.thomashickmancharity.co.uk/charity-application

Turn to us - Nationwide charity database with Grants Search tools. www.turn2us.org.uk/Get-Support

SCAN the QR codes to visit the websites

SCAN the QR codes to visit the websites

People you can contact

Furnishing your Home

If you have moved into a new home and are struggling to furnish it due to financial hardship, you could consider:

Facebook Marketplace

Using your own Facebook account

Freecycle

www.freecycle.org/town/AylesburyUK

Vineyard Storehouse

Referral required, please contact our Welfare Team on: Email: welfare@fairhive.co.uk Tel: 01296 732600.

Charity furniture shops Most will do a delivery service.

Foodbanks

If you are struggling to purchase food due to financial hardship, please contact our Welfare Team email welfare@fairhive.co.uk or call 01296 732600 for a foodbank voucher referral to use the following:

Vineyard: open Tuesdays and Saturdays 10am until 12pm.

Trussell foodbanks: in Aylesbury and Wendover.

Southcourt Baptist Church

Bridge the Gap by appointment only. Weekdays from 9.30am - 12.30pm.

Brackley foodbank:

This service is based on a voucher system. You can contact the team by email for more information: enquiries@brackleyfoodbank.org

Chinnor Sharing Life Trust: www.sharinglifetrust.org/ foodbank

Milton Keynes MK Food Bank: www.mkfoodbank.org.uk/ High Wycombe One Can Trust: www.onecantrust.org.uk/

Helping Hand

Buckinghamshire Council administer the Household Support Grant.

This Grant is used to help households in financial hardship. This could be white goods, carpeting, rent and council tax arrears.

Bucks Helping Hand www.buckinghamshire.gov. uk/cost-of-living/contacthelping-hand/

Tel: 01296 531151.

To apply for a grant online : www.buckinghamshire.gov. uk/housing-and-benefits/ support-with-food-billsand-finances

Water assistance

If you are on a low income you may be eligible for assistance with your service provider and claim a discount off your bill.

Apply for Thames WaterSure

Slough: www.slough.gov.uk/ benefits-support/ household-support-fund

Northants: www.northnorthants.gov. uk/benefits/householdsupport-fund

Milton Keynes: www.milton-keynes.gov. uk/benefits/householdsupport-fund

South Oxfordshire: www.southoxon.gov.uk/ south-oxfordshire-districtcouncil/cost-of-living-crisisadvice-and-support/

www.thameswater.co.uk/ help/account-and-billing/ financial-support/waterhelp

Apply for Anglian WATERLITE

www.anglianwater.co.uk/ account-and-bill/tariffsand-charges/lite/

Not sure who your water supplier is?

Use this website to find out who they are and check if they have a discount scheme: www.water.org.uk/ advice-for-customers/ find-your-supplier/

Budgeting made easy

This handy financial planner can make it simpler to calculate your budget and keep an eye on your income and expenditure. Look for items that you may be able to cut back on or switch suppliers using comparison sites. www.comparethemarket.com

www.moneysupermarket.com

www.gocompare.com

www.moneysavingexpert.com

Use our A3 wallchart to get creative with budgeting - fold it out, stick it up and use The Big Household Savings Tracker now to discover ways to cut costs and save money to help with the rising cost of living.

Challenge your household to see who can save the most money over a four week period.

Share your stories using: #BigHouseholdSavingsTracker

BUDGET SHEET

This budget sheet can be used to help you maintain your rent and household bills.

If this number is in minus figures, check out our tips on the wall planner included in this toolkit to help you cut costs with your spending or contact our Welfare Team for support: welfare@fairhive.co.uk