Public health news: Cost of Living Crisis and Welcoming Places

Information on the support, advice and services available to help with the cost of living crisis.

Public health news: December 2024

There is lots of help and advice available on South Tyneside cost of living information.

Welfare Support team

The service is free and confidential for anyone living in South Tyneside.

They can help if you need:

  • Debt advice, including bankruptcy and debt relief orders
  • Advice on whether you will be better off in work
  • Support with budgeting
  • Support to keep your home and make the most of your money
  • Short term help if you are in a money crisis

Call: 0191 424 6040

Email: welfaresupport@southtyneside.gov.uk  

Website: www.southtyneside.gov.uk/welfaresupport

Welcoming Places

South Tyneside has free and friendly Welcoming Places. These are community spaces you can visit to meet others, receive support, and stay warm.

There are many classes, activities and free / subsidised food on offer.

Please see the Welcoming Places Booklet or check online at Welcoming places in South Tyneside.

The Council is keen to hear from any other groups or venues who would like to join the network of Welcoming Places. To find out more, contact welcomingplaces@southtyneside.gov.uk.

Help with energy costs

  • The Green Doctor. Home visits or phone calls to help with staying warm, saving energy costs, fuel vouchers and help with damp or mould problems. Call: 07587 136525 (Monday to Friday: 9.30am to 4pm).
  • Useful resources in the run-up to winter: National Energy Action has developed a series of multi-lingual information energy advice leaflets aimed at frontline workers to help provide energy advice in the communities. These are suitable to distribute at public-facing events and to help you share information with those who need it. Find out more about these resources at NEA.ORG.UK: Resources.
  • Scope UK - offer free energy and water advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy and water needs.
  • National Energy Action (NEA) - further support and advice available around energy costs.
  • Apply for funding | Energy Redress scheme - Organisations can register for help and support with energy costs.
  • Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis: Further advice if you're struggling to pay your energy bills.

Northern Gas Networks: Priority customers

Some residents need extra support if there's an unexpected interruption to their gas supply.

If you have a disability or illness which means you might struggle without your gas supply, even for a few hours, it's a good idea to get added to your gas supplier's Priority Services Register. If you've got an elderly neighbour or relative who you think might benefit from this service, why not let them know too?

Website: Northern Gas Networks            

Call: 0800 040 7766 and select Option 4

Childcare

The Childcare Choices campaign raises awareness and understanding of the government's childcare support for parents, aimed at encouraging parents to check what support they might be eligible for, including helping with the costs of childcare.  

The refreshed toolkit includes key information about the existing and upcoming childcare support, as well as a wide range of new digital and ready to print resources to use, including posters, leaflets.

This is part of the biggest ever investment in childcare in England, which is set to save working parents using 30 childcare hours up to £6,500 per year from September 2025, so they can juggle the job they want with being a parent.

Loan shark awareness

Have you taken out a loan with an illegal money lender, often called 'loan sharks'?

A loan shark is someone who runs a money lending business without permission.

Loan Sharks often use intimidation and violence to get money from their 'clients'.  If someone who has lent you money threatens you or is violent, contact the police straight away.

If you have borrowed money from a loan shark you should contact Trading Standards immediately. They will help you deal with your situation and the loan shark.

Call:  0191 424 7896 or 0191 424 4402

You can also phone the in-confidence helpline on 0300 555 2222 (9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday). 

Website: Stop Loan Sharks