Energy Bill Support scheme – Alternative Funding
We have been advised that the Government intend to launch a new Energy Bill Support scheme in January 2023.
Updated: 21 December 2022
This page contains information and support regarding the current cost of living crisis.
We can provide you with confidential advice regarding your money, welfare, and benefits. For further information please see the West Lindsey District Council benefits and support advice pages.
Citizens Advice offer free, impartial advice on debt, benefits, employment, and housing problems. They can help make sure you're getting all the support you are entitled to.
Call the Advice Line on freephone 0808 278 7904 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or visit their Lindsey webpages.
If you have, or someone you know has lost their job or seen reduced working hours, you might be eligible for Universal Credit. Many in-work households do not claim as they do not know what they are entitled to.
Help to Claim is a service to help people in the early stages of a Universal Credit claim. Support is available on freephone 0808 278 7904 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
Information on Universal Credit, advance payment, and the migration from legacy benefits is available at GOV.UK's Understanding Universal Credit page.
If you are of pensioner age and not in receipt of Pension Credit, use GOV.UK's online calculator to see if you are eligible. This could boost your income up to £3,300 a year.
You can also ring the Pension Credit claim line 0800 99 1234.
Credit Unions help people save money and can offer affordable loans. They are an alternative to loan sharks and pay day lenders, and can help people avoid problem debt.
Visit the Credit Union Nottingham, Lincoln & Mansfield website or call them on 0330 004 0842.
Some people are eligible for free NHS prescriptions, dental treatment, eye tests and help with other NHS costs including transport to appointments.
Switching provider or accessing discounted social tariffs can help households save money. Ofcom are raising awareness of social tariffs from broadband and phone packages to how people can access them.
Anglian Water offer tariffs for low-income households with up to 50% discount on water and sewage charges.
Residents should call the Extra Care Team on 0800 232 1963 and see if they are able to switch tariff or find if there are other ways Anglian Water can help with bills.
Severn Trent provide the service for sewage collection in parts of West Lindsey, you will already be aware if you pay them separately to Anglian Water. Please visit Severn Trent Water's help pages for further assistance
Turn2us is a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially. The Turn2us Grants Search can help you look for funds that might be able to give you a grant or other types of help.
Government funded debt advice, budgeting tools, and money advice is provided by the Money and Pensions Service.
Money Helper offers free, impartial help with money online, over the phone on 0800 138 7777 or on WhatsApp on 07701 342 744.
You can access free, confidential, regulated debt advice through Step Change Debt Charity or call them on 0800 138 1111.
You could also contact National Debtline by webchat or call them on 0808 808 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, and Saturday, 9:30am to 1pm).
In Lincolnshire, Citizens Advice organisations deliver telephone and face to face debt support as part of national commission. This can be accessed locally through Debt helpline 0800 240 4420 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
The Greater Lincolnshire Food Partnership has collated a list of food banks where people can get support. To find a foodbank in your area, visit their website.
In addition, there is a Holiday Food and Activity programme for children eligible for benefits related free school meals.
Lincolnshire has been allocated £5.5m for the second round of the Household Support Fund. More than half of this money has already been passed to schools and early years providers to support eligible pupils. These families were provided with a one-off payment to help with food bills as and when needed.
For further information see our Household Support Fund Grant page.
Discretionary Housing Payments may be awarded in special circumstances to provide additional financial help with housing costs – payments are normally only for a limited period only.
See our Discretionary payments page to read about the payments and if you would be eligible.
Households on low income, with under £16,000 savings or capital (unless in receipt of Pension Credit), may qualify for a discount from their Council Tax bill. To find out if they are entitled, they can use GOV.UK's benefits calculators.
Wellbeing Lincs is a countywide service supporting adults across Lincolnshire to achieve confident, fulfilled, and independent lives.
Wellbeing Lincs will identify opportunities for help with finances, mobility, healthcare and social outreach to help you build yourself back up again, boost your confidence and promote independent living.
They will:
To be eligible you have to meet at least four of the following criteria:
Call 01522 782140.
Connect to Support Lincolnshire is an online information, advice library and community directory for adults in Lincolnshire. It offers signposting to groups, activities, and support within local communities on topics such as:
Telephone support and live web chat to help people navigate support is available Monday to Friday, 2pm to 7pm on 0300 3030 8789.
Households are facing rising goods and energy prices, inflation and cost of living pressures after the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. We know people are worried so the government is offering help for households. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for by visiting the Governments website.
If you’re feeling low, anxious or stressed and you think that talking to another person may help you cope, you can call the new mental health helpline in Lincolnshire which is open 24/7 at 0800 001 4331.
There’s nothing like meal times to help us get creative and get together with people we love. Saving food does a lot more than just saving money – and every single slice of bread, potato and chicken breast saved makes a difference. It's good for our communities, our country and our planet, as well as our pockets.
For top tips on how to waste less food and save money visit the Love Food Hate Waste website which has lots of stories and advice.
There are a number of project and grants schemes available for boiler upgrades, Green Homes Grants, home owner upgrade grants.
We have been advised the Government intend to launch a new scheme in January 2023 for an Energy Bill Support scheme.