Claim what’s yours

Resources to help with the cost of living this winter

£10m goes unclaimed in Knowsley each year.

Alongside Citizens Advice Bureau and local organisations, I am running this campaign to ensure that everybody entitled to pension credit and winter fuel allowance receive it without delay.

As well as pension credit itself, Knowsley residents are missing out on the numerous benefits that come with claiming. These include: Winter Fuel Payment, Free TV Licenses and Housing Benefit.

Get help

Get help online.

If you need help with any of this please get in touch with Anneliese Midgley your MP here or Citizens Advice Bureau here for practical help

Check you are eligible Turn2us Benefits Calculator and sign up here https://www.gov.uk/pension-credit/how-to-claim or call the Winter Fuel Payment Centre on 0800 731 0160.
Constituents should check if they are eligible for initiatives such as the Warm Homes Discount and the extended Household Support Fund. https://www.gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme and https://www.knowsley.gov.uk/benefits-and-support/emergency-support-scheme/household-support-fund
If you are a constituent seeking immediate support please contact Citizens Advice Bureau on 0808 278 7839. You can also WhatsApp them on 0151 284 6309 or email at advice@citizensadviceknowsley.or.uk
Attendance Allowance is additional income for those with a disability or health condition. You can claim by calling the helpline on 0800 731 0122 or filling in a form at wwww.gov.uk/attendance-allowance/how-to-claim
You may be entitled to Carers Allowance if you are looking after a partner, relative or friend on: www.gov.uk/carers-allowance/how-to-claim

I know many of you are on the cusp of eligibility and struggling with the cost of living. Please contact me and we will work to ensure you are getting all the support you are entitled to anneliese.midgley.mp@parliament.uk.

Check the Turn2us Benefits Calculator

Get help in person.

We have partnered with local organisations to bring you in-person support.

We are running a series of drop-in sessions in partnership with the Citizen’s Advice Bureau:

Drop in Sessions

Huyton Drop-in Sessions: Every Monday

27 Cavendish Walk, Huyton, L36 9YG at 9:30am - 3:00pm

Kirkby Drop-in Sessions: Every Friday

142 Cherryfield Drive, Kirkby, L32 8RX at 9:30am - 3:00pm

We will be running these until the pension credit deadline on 21st December.

Alternatively, you can pop into the Hillside Community Centre any day of the week and seek support from their team of volunteers.

Hillside Community Centre also run their Grub Clubs where you can get discounted food on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s. You can also seek advice from them during those sessions.

Hillside Community Centre, Hillside Ave, Liverpool L36 8DS

Free Travel

Transportation should never be a barrier for anyone seeking advice. That’s why, in collaboration with Knowsley Older People’s Voice, I am pleased to offer free travel to the Citizen’s Advice Bureau drop-in sessions. This initiative is designed for those who wish to attend but may have difficulty getting there.

My team and I will arrange travel with others heading to the drop-in sessions to make it easier for you to participate. If you’d like to take advantage of this service, please email me at annneliese.midgley.mp@parliament.uk . Make sure to include your name, address, and telephone number so I can make the necessary arrangements.

Help from your energy supplier.

If you are an Octopus customer, you may well be eligible for their own £50, £100 and £200 Winter Fuel Payments for customers who are no longer eligible following the recent changes. The details for that can be found here

Likewise, Ovo are also offering cost-of-living support in the way of the Cold Weather Payment, which is a government funded grant. You can read more about this here

Ovo can also offer customers payment plans for those who are struggling to make their payments on time. More info here

Warm Home Discount.

Applications for the Warm Home Discount Scheme have now reopened for this winter.

The Warm Home Discount Scheme is a one-off £150 discount off your electricity bill.

If you’re eligible, your electricity supplier will apply the discount to your bill.

To find out more, click here: Warm Home Discount Scheme: Overview - GOV.UK

Household Support Fund in Knowsley

The Household Support Fund is provided by the Government and delivered locally by Knowsley Council.

The Fund is designed to support those in greatest need with the costs of energy and water, food and essentials items such as cleaning and hygiene products and toiletries. The support you receive from the Household Support Fund will not affect any benefits you receive, and you do not need to be in receipt of benefits to receive help through the Fund.

Council’s decide how the Household Support Fund will be used in their area. Follow this link to see how the fund is used in Knowsley and how you can apply. Some support is given automatically to those who are eligible (including school holiday food vouchers for families in receipt of term-time free school meals). Other support is available directly from local charities and organisations working with the Council to provide support in their heart of our communities. Details of local partners who can support with the cost of food and essentials can be found by following the link above.

In addition to this online support, you can also call the Knowsley Cost of Living helpline on 0151 443 3300. Staff are on-hand to provide support Monday to Friday 9am until 5pm.

Council Tax Reduction

You can claim Council Tax Reduction if you are liable to pay Council Tax for the property that you live at. If you or your partner are on a low income, you may be entitled to a reduction in the amount of council tax that you need to pay.

The amount that you can claim is based on your family circumstances, and income and capital for you and your partner if you have one.

If you are working age you will have to pay at least 20% of your Council Tax bill. If you are a Pensioner you may not have to pay anything towards your Council Tax bill (dependent on circumstances).

Applications can be made online using the following links:

If you receive Universal Credit KMBC - Council Tax Reduction - Universal Credit
Any other income Benefit Calculator and Claim - Benefits and Grants

If you need help applying please contact Knowsley Council using this link Council’s website and arrangements can be made for assistance.

The Winter Support Commitment:

The Minister for Energy Consumers has recently announced that the Government have worked with energy suppliers to ensure that they deliver an extra £500m in support to their customers over the October to March period.

This will provide a range of financial support tailored to the needs of energy consumers, including:

Credit on bills or prepayment meters
Enhanced debt write-off scheme and hardship funds
Reducing or waiving the standing charges over winter for certain customers
Access to energy-saving devices and technology

This support, coupled with the Warm Home Discounts, means that households who are struggling to pay their energy bills this winter will receive £1bn of support. Please get in touch with my office or Citizens Advice Bureau if you would like help to Claim Whats Yours.

To read more about the energy suppliers included in this scheme and how they are supporting their customers, please follow this link: www.enery-uk.org.uk/customers/additional-support-for-customers/

There is lots going on in our community to support you through the winter months.

Knowsley has so many community services that are invaluable in providing support and comfort.

Knowsley Older People’s Voice is a member forum for people who are over 50 living in Knowsley. They organise events throughout the year across the borough to provide key information and support in the local area.

They host several events throughout the year, including their annual KOPV Roadshows which offer advice and support, as well as just a fun day out!

St Gabriel’s Church will also be hosting their Winter Wellness Cafe every Wednesday from now until April. To find out more, contact them here: 0151 489 4120
St George’s Church also offer a Community Food Club where you can get £12 - £15 worth of food for only £3.50. They also offer Community Lunch Clubs every Monday from 12:30pm onwards where they also host weekly bingo sessions. Contact them on 0151 489 1394 to find out more!
St Martin’s Church also offer a social club for over 50s on a Thursday.
St Chad’s Church host coffee mornings on Wednesday's from 10:30am until 12:30pm. To find out more, contact them on 0151 547 2155
Hillside Community Centre offer their Grub Clubs on Tuesday’s and Wednesday’s and are available everyday of the week to offer support with the cost-of-living. Please do call them on 0151 449 3688 to seek the support of their excellent volunteers
Southdene Community Centre host many fun and interactive sessions for older residents including Bingo, but they are also available to help you with advice on the cost-of-living, including getting signed up to pension credit. To enquire about this and more, please call them on 0151 289 0419
Shakespeare North Playhouse are a creative pillar of our community and they don’t just offer fantastic performances! They also host their Chatty Café on Wednesday and Saturday afternoons for people to mix and socialise. To find out more, visit their website here: www.shakespearenorthplayhouse.co.uk/event/chatty-cafe/
Evolving Mindset Completely free food on Wednesdays from 11:30am – 2:30pm
Phoenix Organisation are beginning to host their Winter Hubs starting from 2nd November until the 2nd December every Monday at the Village Inn, L28 5RY. Their Winter Hubs will provide free warm food and fun bingo sessions! This event will start at 1pm, and is a 55 and over event only.