Skip to content ↓

Cost of Living Support

It is no secret that the current economy is difficult for many organisations, individuals and families. There is no shame if you or someone that you know is struggling, as so many are. Now is the time for us to help each other.

As a Trust, we believe in our academies being at the centre of their local communities. This was the case throughout the pandemic and will remain the case throughout these difficult times.

There is help available, but it is often difficult to navigate your way to find that help. This document is our attempt at helping you find the help available to you by putting everything we can find in one place for you. Though we have no direct involvement with running these programmes and cannot advise on which may be right for you, we believe that they are all current and running as intended.

What help is available at The Hart School?

Breakfast Club
The school canteen is open before school from 8.10 am to 8.25 am, to allow access to breakfast club for all students.

If your child is in receipt of free school meals, then they will need to be aware of their allowance. £1.70 is available for breakfast.

Uniform and Trips / Clubs support
The school can offer support with uniform and trips / clubs to families who are experiencing financial hardship, please contact Mr Lewis – Assistant Principal Nathan.Lewis@hartschool.org.uk   by email or telephone 01889 802440.

I’m on benefits/I’m interested in benefits. Where do I go for advice?

The following link has a wealth of information on benefits including how to find a benefits advisor: https://advicefinder.turn2us.org.uk/

The following calculators allow you to enter your personal circumstances to help you to understand the benefits that you could be entitled to based on your situation.

Further information on benefits:

There are other specific benefits, national payments, and tax relief schemes, which may be useful to you:

If you’re struggling with debt, there are a number of services that may be able to offer you advice:

I need help and support with my energy bills. Where do I go?
  • Energy Support Scheme – information about how the £400 support for domestic households will be distributed in autumn 2022
  • Warm Home Discount – £140 off bills or added to prepayment meters for eligible customers. Click the link to find out more about how to apply
  • Boiler and insulation grants – those in receipt of benefits and under a certain income threshold may be entitled to funding for insulation or replacement of old boilers
  • Local energy grants – search service for local energy grants
  • Ofgem website – find advice and answers to questions you may have on managing your energy supply and bills

I’m worried about how little food is in the house/feeding myself or my family. Where can I go?

Foodbanks and general food advice:

Pantries/ community shops/ social supermarkets

Projects that provide food at discounted rates to local communities:

I have concerns about the cost of health and wellbeing. Where can I go for help?

I am worried about my housing situation. Where do I go for help?

I am an immigrant. Some of these things are not available to me. Where can I go for help?

Please find additional help and support with various issues below:

Travel

Internet

General Help and Advice

The following websites cover a wide range of financial support issues:

Grants for individuals

  • Turn2Us search – there are several individual grants that may be based on a person’s circumstances, location, or occupation.
  • Buttle – grants of up to £2,000 for children who have experienced a crisis
  • Children in Need – critical household items for children experiencing a crisis or emergency
  • Glasspool – grants for household essentials
  • Family Fund – grants for people with disabled children for household items.

See what other support you can get from your local authority

Local authorities have lots of different schemes that you might be eligible for, including:

Cookie Policy