Cost of living support

Cost of living support

 

Many people across Salford continue to experience financial pressures relating to the cost of everyday living. This webpage brings together information and resources to help individuals, volunteers and organisations access support and advice. Information will be reviewed and updated regularly.

Finances - Emergency funds

Spirit of Salford Helpline - is still available to get help, support and advice on lots of different issues that you might be facing at the moment.

Salford Assist - is a Salford City Council scheme that can offer short-term support to people who are in a crisis, emergency or major disaster situation. The scheme doesn't offer cash payments but does try to help with essential items such as food, essential furniture, energy supply, council tax support, copies of birth certificates for homeless people,  and referrals to other services

For Housing - Have additional funding available, designed to help any of their tenants with a specific short-term need. There is no fixed criteria for applications as each one will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
 

Back to top

Finances - Support and advice

Benefit Checkers - Depending on your situation, you can use the Turn2us, Entitledto and Policy in Practice benefit calculators to check which benefits you can get. You’ll need information about savings, income, pension, childcare payments and any existing benefits (for you and your partner). Citizen Advice has produced further advice and has specialists that can help.

Budgeting Planning - Use the Salford Credit Union Budget planner to estimate your income and expenditure for a month.

Pension Credit - There is around £70m of pension top-up that remains unclaimed every year across Greater Manchester. With rising living costs, it’s so important that older residents don’t miss out on regular income that can really help meet growing household bills. Age UK have produced a factsheet with more information including how to claim.

Turn2us is a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially. Many charities offer non-repayable grants to help individuals on low incomes. To be eligible you have to meet their particular rules. These may be based on your location, age, gender, current or past jobs or health condition. Some funds help based on details of your partner, ex-partner or dependent children. Do a search for yourself and a separate one for your partner, ex-partner or the person who needs help. If you are looking for a grant for a child or young person, do a search based on their background and circumstances as well as those of their parents/guardians Turn2Us grant search: Search for charitable and educational grants - Turn2us

Citizens Advice Salford provides Independent and provides free, confidential, impartial advice to everybody in the Salford area regardless of race, gender, sexuality or disability. 

Money and Me - Mind in Salford provides welfare rights and debt advice for people in Salford who are over 18; are Salford residents or registered with a Salford GP, and have a mental health condition. Our advice is free, independent, impartial and confidential.

Salford Credit Union  - provides safe, competitive and fair financial services to anyone that lives or works in Salford and those parts of North Manchester and Bury that fall within our ‘common bond’ membership area.
Salford Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Service - will help you check your benefits and fill out forms.
 

Back to top

Food

Healthy Start - If you have a child under four or are pregnant, you might be able to get a Healthy Start card to help you buy certain types of milk, infant formula, fruit and vegetables. Find out if you’re eligible and how to apply on the NHS website.

School Meals - Always make sure you check to see if you are eligible to uptake free school meals. Children and young people in reception, year 1 and year 2 qualify no matter your income. 

Back to top

Housing and homelessness

Salford Housing Options Point - has trained officers to help stop you from losing your home. They can also help you move to more suitable accommodation. You can make contact by telephone during the above opening hours on 0161 793 2020 and choose the appropriate option. If you need emergency accommodation outside our opening hours, please contact the Out of Hours service on 0161 794 8888.

Advice organisations such as Citizen Advice Service and Money and Me - Mind in Salford can also provide you with impartial advice.

GMFRS Cost of Living - Stay Fire Safe  - Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service wants to help you to stay safe from fire at home, at a time when the cost of living is rising. If you're thinking about doing things differently at home to bring down the price of your bills, it's important to remember to do so safely. This can include thinking about the hazards that come with changing your usual routine.

Back to top

Utility providers

Salford water is supplied by one company - United Utilities Trust Fund provides help with grants towards water debts

Many energy suppliers are offering grants and schemes to individuals who do not have to be existing customers, to help clear gas and electric bill debts. Citizen Advice has collated a list of the benefits, grants and help offered by the government and energy suppliers. But below is a list of links to individual schemes and programmes offered by suppliers - 

For general help or advice on energy bills/grants/providers visit: Find ways to save energy in your home - GOV.UK

Changing your boiler settings - Changing your boiler settings may help you to save money. The money-saving boiler challenge can help explain how to do it and why it works.

For help with discounts and grants on paying heating bills visit www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/grant-grabbing/

For help with free installation of a boiler grants, visit Free loft insulation: Free boilers, loft & cavity wall - MSE (moneysavingexpert.com)

Back to top

Other bills

If you’re struggling to pay your mobile, phone, internet or TV bill Citizen Advice has produced a guide on what you can do. There is also an approved list of comparison sites produced by Ofcom regarding telephone, broadband and TV deals.

Some providers offer cheaper packages that are only available to customers who receive certain government benefits. Ofcom collates a list of these tariffs.

Back to top

White goods/household items

Salford Assist can help with items such as essential white goods but there are also other organisations that can help - 

  • Mustard Tree offers a wide range of support, including: access to their food club; 20% off in their Community Shops; access to groups, support and training; access furniture vouchers for new tenancies out of homelessness; and access to English classes and practical support for people who are or have recently been within the asylum system. 
  • Emmaus Salford - Discover quality second-hand furniture and goods at our Emmaus Salford Emporium in Swinton. 
  • Salford Furniture & Electrical Store - BHF - sell a range of good quality pre-loved items as well as brand new goods

Alternatively, you can visit the websites below to search for free essential white goods/furniture needs. Please be aware, that you may have to collect these goods.

Back to top

Children and young people

Salford Foundation Trust - supports applications from young people for a wide range of activities whether it be arts-based such as music tuition or participation in theatre groups or sporting activities with support for football club membership, swimming fees or access to a range of other sports.

BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme -The BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme provides essential household items for children and young people aged 17 and under who are experiencing a crisis or emergency. Support may include beds, white goods, furniture, baby equipment and emergency clothing. Applications must be made by a registered professional referrer and are subject to eligibility criteria and available funding.

Salford Baby Bank works in partnership with local Salford community groups to provide collection points for equipment and supplies that new parents need after the birth of a child. They work on a referral basis, but will accept referrals from any organisation that works within the Salford area.

Visit from the Stork - offer a range of services. Their Stork Support programme operates on a referral basis supplying baby essentials. 

School uniform support - both Wood Street Mission and Emmaus run school uniform programmes and may be able to help. Also Salford City Council run a free School Uniform Exchange, available all year round  Our Free School Uniform Exchange is available all year round•Salford City Council

Back to top

Health and wellbeing


Mental Health - Mental health and wellbeing | Partners in Salford

Health Costs -  Help with Health Costs provides information about what you need to pay, help when on Universal Credit, travel costs and personal health budgets. Its sister site Help with Dental Costs provides information on entitlement to free NHS dental care and links to other guidance around NHS dental care and support.

You can check if you qualify for an exemption for paying for NHS costs, such as prescriptions and dental treatment. Or you can consider buying a prescription prepayment certificates (PPC) from the NHS which may make your prescriptions cheaper by paying a fee which covers all your prescriptions in a select period, no matter how many you need.

Our organisation directory features a range of services and support delivered by local voluntary, community and social enterprise organisations.

Back to top

Giving help 

Volunteer - There are a host of organisations across the city that need volunteers to support the work they do in Salford. You can find out more about volunteering opportunities in the city via our volunteer portal. 

Donate Money - The Salford4Good Cost of Living Appeal has been set up to raise funds for charities, social enterprises and community groups across Salford to help them to continue their fantastic work and to help them cope with growing demand. Donating is simple just visit Just Giving to make a donation.

Donate to your local foodbank or food club. - You can donate to local foodbanks via donation points in supermarkets or at designated drop-off slots at your local food bank, club or charity 
Salford Foodbanks and Food Clubs | Salford CVS

Many foodbanks and charities have online donation pages. You can provide invaluable support for these front-line organisations by making a one-off or recurring donation so they are able to purchase essential provisions in these times of high demand.

Donating goods and items - 

  • Emmaus Salford - Emmaus can accept drop-off donations at their shops during opening hours or for larger items, they offer a free collection service. Please do not leave items for donation outside any of their shops. Check which items they can currently accept.
  • Community Little Hulton - run a Food Club at their hub every Wednesday from 9.15 am. You can support the food club by donating cans, toiletries or dry goods. Donations can be left at the Peel Park Pavillion, 33 Manchester Road West, Little Hulton, M38 9EG
  • Mustard Tree - If donations can fit into a car, Mustard Tree would be grateful if you could drop them off at their hubs during their opening times. 

Back to top

Digital Inclusion 

Need help getting online? Access to the internet is essential for managing money, applying for benefits and accessing services. 

Back to top

Additional information for VCSE organisations 

Improving your charity's finances - This guidance from the charity commission is for trustees, especially trustees of smaller charities, who may need help when facing difficult decisions about their charity’s financial position - Improving your charity’s finances (CC12) - GOV.UK

Charity Finance Group - has launched a cost-of-living hub with a variety of resources to support organisations to reduce costs and to support their staff.

Grants and Funding - Salford CVS offer a range of funding opportunities that may be suitable for your organisations. 

Business planning support - our development team can offer a range of support to groups including funding advice and business planning support.

Back to top