Help at the Hub is supporting people dealing with the rising cost of living – on things like jobs, money and wellbeing.

It is free to access for Wakefield District residents and puts you in touch with a range of organisations that can help.

There are nine locations around the District:

• Castleford Heritage Centre
• St Marys Pontefract
• Ossett Town Hall
• Havercroft and Ryhill Community Learning Centre
• Kellingley Club
• St Georges Lupset
• Eastmoor Community Project
• Westfield Centre South Elmsall
• Lightwaves Leisure and Community Centre

There are many local organisations available at the hubs to offer help and advice to anyone worries about money, jobs, housing or health.

New organisations are being added all the time and the hubs’ friendly advisors will do their best to help you with a range of common issues.

More information, including opening times, can be found on the Wakefield Council website.

The Wakefield Healthy Housing pathway is a scheme that looks to provide support for individuals or families with the following issues:

• Fuel poverty
• High energy bills
• Cold, damp or draughty housing
• Broken heating or hot water systems
• Poor or hazardous housing conditions
• Problems with private landlords

Among ways the scheme can assist are: Grants and loans available to help with the cost of making home heating and insulation improvements to reduce energy costs; Assistance with fuel debt and income maximisation; Intervention with landlords to resolving ongoing repair/standards issues; Referrals to other appropriate agencies; Energy efficiency advice for the home.

More information, applications and self-referrals can be made via the Wakefield Council website.

Wakefield Council’s Money Smart service is working with WDH Cash Wise to provide a ‘one-stop shop’ that can offer advice in a number of areas, including:

• Any state benefits that you are claiming or may be entitled to and, in particular, Universal Credit
• Mortgage payments
• Rent payments
• Payment of bills
• Debt
• Effective personal budgeting

The service is available to both homeowners and tenants, helping review financial circumstances and provide a bespoke package of support to maximise income and reduce outgoings.

The WDH Cash Wise team can be contacted by calling 01977 724651, emailing cashwise@wdh.co.uk or visiting the website.

If you are struggling to pay rent, mortgage, council tax, other bills or are having a money crisis, more advice and support is available via the Wakefield Council website.

The Energy Bills Support Scheme will provide £400 off energy bills for households in Great Britain from October 2022. This automatic, non-repayable discount will be applied in six instalments between October 2022 and March 2023 to help households through winter.

There is no need to apply for the scheme and you will not be asked for your bank details. More information is available on the GOV.UK website.

There is also a second Cost of Living payment due between 8 November and 23 November for households receiving DWP benefits. The £324 payment follows on from a £326 made from 14 July this year.

The second payment will automatically be paid into the bank accounts of those eligible in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland who receive a qualifying benefit, meaning they will not need to do anything to receive the money.

Around six million disabled people have been paid a separate £150 Disability Cost of Living Payment, whilst over 8 million pensioner households will receive an extra one-off £300 Winter Fuel Payment this year. Winter Fuel Payments are available for those who have reached pensionable age. These payments are available to help with fuel bills and are for those who are eligible.

More details are available on the Government’s Help for Households webpage.

If you’re on means-tested benefits and on a low income, your child may also qualify for free school meals. You may be entitled to the Warm Homes Discount which would offer you up to £140 off your electricity bills for the winter.

Some people may also be eligible for Cold Weather payments, which means that if the average temperature in your area falls below zero degrees for seven days consecutively, then you could be eligible for £25 per seven days.

Warm Spaces are places in your local community where people can gather for free in a warm, safe, welcoming place and enjoy a hot drink or food and some company. More details are on the Wakefield Council website.

Wakefield Citizens Advice can give you advice on claiming benefits and how to tackle your finances.

Step Change provide help and advice for people who are in debt. The Money Advice Service will offer you help, advice and tools to help you manage your money.

​

The NHS website offers advice and tips about who is eligible for free prescriptions and how you can apply for them.

The West Yorkshire Health and Care Partnership has produced a guide to ‘Making Your Money Count’ – full of useful tips on how to save money around the home and steps to take to improve our financial wellbeing.

Food banks are community organisations that can help if you can’t afford the food you need. You’ll usually need to get a referral to a food bank before you can use it.

There’s more information about getting a referral on the Citizens Advice website.

If you are looking for a food bank in the Wakefield District, there is a foodbank map available on the Wakefield Council website.

There is also a list of food banks and free food sources, including which days and times they are open, on the Wakefield District City of Sanctuary website.

The cost of living crisis is causing extra stress for many people and can have an impact on our mental and emotional health and wellbeing. If you are affected and think you may need support, there are a number of services that can help.

Every Mind Matters

You can speak to your GP while there is also support on the Every Mind Matters website.

Turning Point Talking Therapies

Turning Point Talking Therapies offers NICE recommended therapies to anyone aged 16 and over and registered with a GP in Wakefield District.

Telephone and online mental health helpline

Free support is available via telephone, face to face or online and you can refer yourself online or by calling 01924 234 860 any time between 8am and 8pm Monday to Thursday, Friday 8am to 4pm, 9am and 4pm on Saturday, 10am and 4.30pm on Sunday.

There is also a 24 hour mental health helpline 0800 1830 558 offering confidential help and advice, to anyone registered with a GP in Calderdale, Kirklees, Wakefield, Leeds and Barnsley.

The service can support people who are:

• At risk of developing mental health problems
• Diagnosed common mental health problems
• Known to mental health services
• Experiencing mental health distress
• Seeking information, advice and support

The Live Well Wakefield service supports healthy living for the people of Wakefield District, providing information, advice and support in coping with everyday life and can be contacted by calling 01924 255363.

​

Wakefield Domestic Abuse Service

The Wakefield District Domestic Abuse Service is a comprehensive local support service which can be contacted by calling 0800 915 1561.

​

Samaritans

Samaritans offers a safe place to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever’s getting to you. You don’t have to be suicidal. Telephone support is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Call 03300945717 (local call charges apply) or free from any phone on 116123.

Wakefield Safe Space

Wakefield Safe Space helps people aged 16+ experiencing or approaching mental health crisis to find support and help in a non-clinical setting.

They provide one to one face to face support, via telephone and Zoom, group social activities, support for attendees to develop safety plans and also create “wellbeing boxes” to aid in self-distraction and de-escalation at home.

The service is available Thursday to Tuesday, 6pm to midnight. You can either self-refer or be referred by calling 07776 962815 or you can also call into the venue at Caduceus House, Upper Warrengate, Wakefield, WF1 4JZ to complete a referral form so that an appointment can be made.

Young People’s Empowerment Project

For Young People aged 16 to 25 with emotional wellbeing issues/mild-Moderate mental health conditions who have not previously engaged with services

Offers one to one mental health support alongside a creative club for people aged 16-25 where people can express themselves creatively.

Young people can refer themselves or can be referred via telephone: 01977 558074 and info@ypep.co.uk. More information is available on the Young People’s Empowerment Project website.

The Youth Association

For Young People aged 16 to 25 with emotional wellbeing issues/mild-Moderate mental health conditions who have not previously engaged with services

Empowering young adults to overcome life challenges. The service aims to grow resilience and reduce need for ongoing support from mental health services. Through group activity, the service seeks to improve support networks, increase self-esteem and improve capacity to manage own mental health effectively.

Young people can refer themselves or can be referred via telephone: 07772 111408 and gill.arabskyj@youth-association.org. More information is available on The Youth Association website.

SMaSH (Self-Management and Self Help)

For Young People aged 16 to 25 with emotional wellbeing issues/mild-Moderate mental health conditions who have not previously engaged with services.

Wraparound services ensure participants receive the necessary and appropriate support network to enable them to improve their health and wellbeing and live well with a long-term health condition.

The young person can refer themself or are can be referred via telephone: 07867 514031 and smashsociety@outlook.com

Rycroft Leisure

Rycroft Leisure is a sports, youth and community facility. The SELPH project works with individuals on a one-to-one basis with the intention of then moving them on to group work sessions at their own pace.  Each participant will have a bespoke package of support to suit their needs, they will be supported throughout this project.

You can refer yourself or get a referral via telephone: 01226 723659 and youth@rycroftleisure.com

Humanity 1^st

For Young People aged 16 to 25 with emotional wellbeing issues/mild-Moderate mental health conditions who have not previously engaged with services

Migrants, asylum seekers and refugees are among those supported to develop the skills needed to gain employment, good health & wellbeing and live independently through the following:

• Conversation Café to reduce isolation
• One to one/ focus group to support English for Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL)
• Employability skills workshops
• Health and wellbeing sessions
• Help to write a CV
• Qualifications conversion
• Work experience
• Volunteering schemes
• Women group session

The young person can refer themselves or can be referred via telephone: 07445657274.

St George’s Community Centre

Those aged 16 to 25 are supported to build their own unique path to an improved sense of mental health and wellbeing.

Support can be given whilst the young person is on a waiting list for other services.

The following is offered:

• Skills workshops and volunteer opportunities
• One-to-one check ins
• Support to access counselling
• Professional advice
• Meeting new friends
• Supporting the young person to acquire the tools they need on their journey

Support is not time restricted. The young person can refer themself or can be referred via 01924 369631 and Emma.coyle@stgeorgeslupset.org.uk.

Appletree Community Garden

This is a welcoming, accessible and inclusive community garden in Agbrigg, Wakefield, open to anyone interested in spending time outdoors, enjoying fresh community-grown food, meeting new people, and learning new skills.

There is:

• Sowing, planting and harvesting
• Learning new ways to cook
• Building, mending, recycling and reusing
• Sharing in conversation and enjoying the garden atmosphere

The Garden is open Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays (10am to 4pm) Follow directions to WF1 5AE. You’ll find the Garden on Agbrigg Road, down the long driveway opposite Newland Street.

Sadly fraudsters are seeking to exploit the cost of living crisis with many phishing attacks (when perpetrators attempt to trick users into clicking a bad link) starting to target those in difficult financial situations.

The types of messages being sent by email and text include the promise of energy and council tax rebates or encouraging people to apply for a “cost of living payment”. These fraudulent schemes attempt to mimic genuine government support packages.

However genuine support schemes would not require you to provide bank details or make any payments so please be vigilant.

The latest report from the Office for National Statistics on phishing attacks can be found on their website.

Thousands of families could be saving money on their childcare costs. But some simply don’t know what support they might be eligible for.

The Childcare Choices website brings together all the existing childcare offers in one place, so parents can get the help that fits their family.

This could be through Tax-Free Childcare, 30 Hours Childcare, or Universal Credit Childcare. Some
families might be eligible to use more than one childcare schemes together and get the most out of it.

And from next year even more help is on the way:

•  From April 2024, eligible working parents in England with children aged 2 will have access to 15 hours childcare.
• From September 2024, the 15 hours childcare offer will be expanded to eligible working parents in England with children between 9 and 23 months old.
• From September 2025, eligible working parents in England with children between 9 months up to school age will have access to 30 hours childcare.

Support is also expanding for primary-school aged children – from September 2024, parents are expected to see an expansion in the availability of childcare in their local area before and after school, between 8am and 6pm, also known as ‘wraparound care’.

Don’t miss out on getting the support you are entitled to. Visit the Childcare Choices website to check what offer you might be eligible for and sign up to our newsletter to get the latest updates about the childcare support expansion.

Money Buddies are the biggest independent Money Advice Service in West Yorkshire and are here to help you save money, increase your income and advise you at times of financial crisis.

Whether you’re having difficulty paying any debt, need legal debt advice or if you are not sure of what to do about your finances.

You don’t need to have a financial crisis to get help, they are open and free to all.  You can also find out where you can save money on gas, electricity, water bills and much more.

Visit the Money Buddies website to find out more and to get support.