Cost of Living Crisis Support and Advice
Knowsley Council has several sources of support and advice for residents struggling with the cost of living crisis.
- Visit Hardship Fund for details of how to access support with essentials, food and fuel.
- Visit Financial advice and support for details of: local and national money and debt support, crisis support, financial services and DWP support.
- Visit Emergency Support Scheme for details of the Council’s Emergency Support Scheme for crisis support with fuel (for households with prepayment meters only) and furniture/white goods (eligibility criteria applies).
As part of the Hardship Fund, Knowsley Council is working with Energy Projects Plus to provide additional energy advice to residents. Residents may also be able to access the LEAP Appliances service or Warmth for Health support.
Residents can receive:
- Free and impartial advice on energy efficiency
- Free and impartial advice on issues associated with fuel poverty including relative costs of different fuels and support to increase income e.g. benefit health checks
- Information on local and national grants to fund home energy improvement measures
- Support to apply to schemes intended to help make homes warmer and more energy efficient.
Residents who need more support will be directed on to other Energy Projects Plus services, including:
LEAP (Local Energy Advice Partnership) who provide home visits (or ‘virtual home visits’) to owner occupiers, private tenants and social housing tenants.
Support can include:
- Installation of ‘easy measures’, including LED bulbs and draught-proofing.
- Assessment of white goods for possible free replacement.
- Support in reviewing energy bills and referral for benefits maximisation.
- Assistance with boiler repairs or replacements
- All clients will also be offered further energy efficiency/fuel poverty advice, based on the observations of our Energy Advisor.
Warmth For Health
This supports low-income homeowners with a chronic health condition, to fund the repair/replacement of heating appliances that don’t attract funding through the government’s flagship, ECO, programme. Heating measures can include:
- Repairing/replacing a faulty radiator
- Repairing/replacing a faulty electric fire
- Repairing/replacing a faulty gas fire
- Repairing/replacing a faulty hot water cylinder
- Repairing/replacing faulty central heating pipework
Call the SEAL (Save Energy Advice Line) free on 0800 043 0151 Monday to Friday, 9-5, or email advice@epplus.org to find out more.
