Money, benefits, debt advice and cost of living

Bath & North East Somerset Council's Welfare Support

The Welfare Support Scheme provide people with short-term financial help in a crisis. The scheme also includes Discretionary Housing payments. The team can help with accessing local food banks, retail vouchers for food and essentials, or referrals to other appropriate food provisions in B&NES. They can also help with certain household bills (including gas, electric, oil, or LRG fuels), as well as Household furniture, carpets, or essential white goods, and removal costs. Help may be available to pay for school uniforms and essential clothing in certain situations (for example, interviews or recent release from prison). Support is available with Council Tax debt, Rent in advance to secure a tenancy, Rent arrears as a Discretionary Housing Payment or from the Welfare Support budget (if you are not eligible for a Discretionary Housing Payment).

Curo

Curo provide support for their tenants to help them with money or navigating the benefits system, and can help and offer financial advice. Curo Tenants - Over 60’s (or non-biological age of 60, support with claiming benefits and accessing applicable grants.

Age UK Bath & North East Somerset

Age UK Information, Advice and Support team can help people over the age 60+ to help them claim any relevant benefits, including attendance allowance, pension credit, housing benefit, council tax support, state pension, DLA and PIP reviews, water rates discount, carers allowance, access to NHS low-income scheme for dental and optician treatment, apply for charitable grants.

Citizens Advice Bath and North East Somerset

Citizens Advice provide free advice to help people who have multiple, complex issues. They offer advice on benefits, debt, discrimination, employment, family, housing, immigration and more. They provide advice by phone and face to face at drop in services in Bath, Midsomer Norton and Keynsham.

Live Well B&NES (Council)

Live Well B&NES provides impartial information and signposting to many services, groups and organisations across the Bath & North East Somerset area. The site is split into three areas of need, providing support to adults to continue living independently, information to support young people with special educational needs and/or disabilities and parenting support to families including Ofsted registered childcare. See Cost of living support for information, advice and organisations that can help families with benefits, debt, food, energy and other living costs.