Cost of living help

View our directory of all local support available

Including places to go to keep warm, who can help with food and essentials, and organisations that can give you advice and information.

Updates for autumn/winter 2024 coming soon.

Cosy Homes in Lancashire

Cosy Homes in Lancashire (CHiL) provides help with access to cost effective ways of keeping your home warm whether you own or privately rent.

Other help and advice on grants to improve the energy efficiency of your home are available on the insulation and boiler grants section of our website.

Warm and Healthy Homes Project

Warm and Healthy Homes Project supports households of all tenures. Care and Repair's free service will run for two years to help ensure Blackpool residents can save money and stay warm at home.

More information on the Warm and Healthy Homes Project.

Other support

The Energy Saving Trust website has a range of helpful advice and guidance to help you save on your energy costs.

The government's household energy page will give you suggestions on alterations you can make to your home that can help you save on your energy usage.

Money Saving Expert website also has a wide range of energy saving tips to help you reduce your costs.

Using less hot water has the added benefit of lowering energy bills too. Examples of annual savings are shown below:

• Reducing each person's daily shower from 10 minutes to 5 minutes - £740
• Cutting out two dishwasher runs per week by only running with full loads - £76
• Cutting out two washing machine runs per week by only running with full loads - £37
• Fixing a leaking toilet - £300
• Turning off the tap while brushing teeth - £100
• Fixing a dripping tap - £17

Is the cost of living problem making you feel anxious?

We know that worrying about bills can have a negative effect on your health so below are some links, which you may find useful.

• Public health
• Blackpool talking therapies
• Mind Lancashire

Social prescribing

Did you know your GP may be able to help you with social prescribing?

Your GPs know that many things affect your health and wellbeing and not all of these are clinical and best dealt with by medication or treatment alone. Many patients visit their GP because they feel isolated or lonely. Some are stressed by work, money, childcare or housing problems, or sometimes it's the stress of managing a long-term health condition that brings you to the surgery.

Social prescribers will listen to you and help you access the right people, services and activities that may benefit you.

They could link you or introduce you to a community group, a new activity or a local club. They may help you find legal advice, debt counselling, housing support or the right person to help you find a job or volunteering opportunity.

Your social prescriber will look to give you specific information and guidance on your situation or suggest local resources that might help. They could even support you to create something new such as a gardening club, a fishing group, a ‘men's shed' or knit and natter group. Ask at your local GP surgery for more details.

Blackpool Transport

Get around for £2 until 31 December 2024.

Blackpool transport and other local bus service providers are taking part in the government's scheme to help customers pay less to travel by bus, capping single adult bus fares at £2 per journey, no matter where you travel to or from.

More information

Shared Wheels

If you need to cut transport costs? Have you thought about sharing a car journey? Shared Wheels will help you find people to share your journey with

Warm hub information for 2024 coming soon.

Libraries

Blackpool libraries run a wide range of free events and activities across their libraries. See their website for more information

If you're struggling with the cost of food, there are places you can go to get help. Some offer free or low cost hot meals and refreshments. See some of what is available below.

Find the full list of food help on the FYi Directory

Blackpool Comfort C.A.F.E.

Offering hot food, drinks, snacks and emergency items every Tuesday 11.00am to 12.30pm from out of St Thomas Church on Caunce Street, FY1 3NJ.

Big Food Truck

The Big Food Truck is available at various locations across Blackpool.

• North Stand, Blackpool Football Club: 07908663674
• The Grange: 07378905676
• The Harbour (only for NHS staff): 07860027502
• Layton Methodist Church: 07378905774

To register at your nearest hub text your name to the hub number

(this is a text service only, please do not call).

Salvation Army

For adults aged 26 years and over, The Bridge Project at the Salvation Army Citadel on Raikes Parade offers emergency food, hot meal, shower and laundry facilities 9.00am to 11.00am Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday for homeless people and a hot meal 12noon to 2.00pm for homeless and vulnerable adults.

Amazing Graze Blackpool Free Food Shop

Visit the Free Food Shop at 44 Bolton Street, FY1 6AA on Tuesdays and Fridays 5.00pm to 7.00pm. It's free to sign up each person is allowed a choice of up to 10 items per week.

Morrisons

Morrisons are offering a free meal for 1 child under 16 when buying an adult meal with a value of £4.50 or over at it's in-store cafes.

Asda

Until the end February Asda café's are offering the Winter Warmer scheme where over 60s can enjoy a bowl of soup, a bread roll and unlimited tea and coffee for £1.

Also, children can eat for £1 anytime

The simple payment plan was created for those in financial difficulty.

Qualifying customers can choose from either a fortnightly or monthly payment plan that spreads the cost of a TV licence over 12 months, this means you make smaller payments more frequently, helping you to better manage your finances.

TV Licensing accepts referrals to the Simple Payment Plan from not-for-profit organisations such as charities or your local authority money advice department. It cannot accept referrals from commercial organisations.

If you would like to speak to someone about your finances, you can contact your local authority debt advice team or there are many not-for-profit organisations offering free, confidential and independent advice. Any not-for-profit organisation providing this service can refer you to us to join the Simple Payment Plan.

More information on the simple payment plan and how to access it

There are other TV licence concessions, which you might be eligible for depending on your circumstances. There are concessions available for:

• People who are aged 75 or over and receive Pension Credit
• People who are blind (severely sight impaired)
• People who live in qualifying residential care and are disabled or over 60 and retired