Cost of living support

Cost of living support

Cost of living support

The cost of living is rising, and it’s having an impact on many households across the borough.

Support is available to help residents manage their finance.

Cost of Living Payments

You may be able to get a payment from the Government to help with the cost of living if you’re getting certain benefits or tax credits.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be paid automatically in the same way you usually get your benefit or tax credits.

You could get up to three different types of payment depending on your circumstances.

Find out more about Cost of Living Payments on the Government website.

Find out how you can access support from the council and other organisations: 


Support available Expand all
Chesterfield Borough Council Benefits advice

Our benefits take-up officer can answer your questions about benefits, help you complete forms and ensure you are claiming the money you are entitled to.

Call: 01246 345345

Email: benefits@chesterfield.gov.uk

  

Derbyshire County Council Welfare Rights

Providing answers to your questions about benefits, helping you complete forms, ensuring you are claiming the money you are entitled to and can help challenge decisions or support appeals. 

Call: 01629 531535 

Email: welfarebenefits@derbyshire.gov.uk

  

Chesterfield Citizen’s Advice

Provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Including debt worries, benefits claims, housing and employment problems. 

Free advice helpline call: 0808 278 7843 

  

Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre

Provides free, independent and confidential advice on benefit and credit entitlements. Can also support the completion of application forms and can help challenge decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions, right through to tribunal if necessary.

Call: 01246 231441

Email: info@duwc.org.uk

Bus fare price cap

The price of a single ticket is just £2 on selected routes until December 2024.

Find out more on Gov.uk.

The Council Tax Support Scheme is a local scheme that provides support to people on low income by reducing the amount of Council Tax they are liable to pay. In addition, the council also has a Discretionary Council Tax Scheme which supports those who are suffering exceptional hardship. The reduction is at the council’s discretion and is only granted in very exceptional circumstances.

Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) are extra payments that can help towards housing costs.

The payments are awarded at the discretion of the local authority and residents can only get it if they are entitled to Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.

DHPs are available for those who are not receiving enough income to cover their rent; it can also be awarded for one-off costs such as a rent deposit or removal costs to move into a new home.

As the local authority, we administer the DHP scheme for Chesterfield residents.

The Elm Foundation

A safe, welcoming, supportive place for any man, woman or child affected by domestic abuse. Providing the advice, support and tools you may need to change your situation; where you will feel empowered to take back control of your life.

Call: 0800 019 8668

If it's an emergency, call 999. 

Text: 07534 617252

Email: derbyshiredahelpline@theelmfoundation.org.uk

Derbyshire County Council Libraries 

Provides free online courses around digital skills. You can also book the use of a library computer.

Call: 01629 533444

Email: ask.library@derbyshire.gov.uk

 

Derbyshire National Careers Service

Provides free and impartial information, advice and guidance about career opportunities, learning and employment to any Derbyshire residents aged 19 years and over and to those aged 18 who are not currently in education, employment or training. 

Currently running an in-person access session at Chesterfield Library on Tuesday mornings. Wendy Leigh is the advisor for Chesterfield and Staveley. 

Call: 07717 303855

Email: wendy.leigh@derbyshire.gov.uk

The Derbyshire Discretionary Fund can provide grants or emergency cash payments for people who are in urgent need of financial help following a crisis or disaster.

The fund may be able to help during an emergency or crisis situation and to support people to continue to live independently or cope with exceptional pressure when they have no other source of funding.

Job Centre Plus

Provides resources to enable job-searchers to find work, can help identify training programmes and employment benefits. 

Job Centre Plus: 0800 055 6688

Textphone: 0800 023 4888

Universal Credit helpline: 0800 328 5644

Textphone: 0800 328 1344

 

Derbyshire Disability Employment Service

Supporting disabled people to find training, work experience, voluntary work and paid employment.

Call: 01629 532440

Email: disabilityemploymentservice@derbyshire.gov.uk

 

Derbyshire Law Centre

Provide free legal advice and assistance on all debt matters, housing and employment to the residents of Derbyshire.

Call: 01246 550674 

Freephone: 0800 707 6990

Text: 07781 482826

Textphone for deaf people: 18001 01246 550674

Email: dlc@derbyshirelawcentre.org.uk

  

Derbyshire Unemployed Workers Centre

Provides free, independent and confidential advice on benefit and credit entitlements. Can also support the completion of application forms and can help challenge decisions made by the Department for Work and Pensions, right through to tribunal if necessary. 

Call: 01246 231441

Email: info@duwc.org.uk

Marches Energy Advice

Provides home energy advice, including advice on available grants, tariffs and on debts, for Derbyshire residents. 

Call: 0800 677 1332

Email: wdd@mea.org.uk
 

Chesterfield Citizen’s Advice

Provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Including debt worries, benefits claims, housing and employment problems. 

Free Advice Helpline call: 0808 278 7843 

 

Chesterfield Food Bank

Food Bank covering Chesterfield - referred through Job Centre Plus, Pathways, Citizens Advice, Probations, Derbyshire Recovery Partnership.

Call: 07984 589456 or Citizens Advice: 0808 278 7843

Locations and session times:

St Michael and All Angels Parish Hall
Monday 12 noon to 2pm
Church Street, Brimington, S43 1JG

African Caribbean Community Association   
Monday 5pm to 6.30pm
Unit 2, Penmore Business Centre, Hasland, S41 0SJ

The Compass
Tuesday 1pm to 3pm
West Bars, Town Centre, S40 1AZ

The Saints Parish Centre Café
Wednesday 12 noon to 2pm   
3 St Mary's Gate, Chesterfield S41 7TD

St Barnabas Church
Thursday 12 noon to 2pm
Albert Road, New Whittington S43 2BH

Loundsley Green Community Centre
Friday 1pm to 3pm
Cuttholme Road, S40 4QU

Holme Hall Unite, Holme Hall Hub
Ad-hoc requests for food bags.
Phone: 07907 484835
 
Gussie’s Kitchen
Food Parcel scheme covering the South areas of Chesterfield.
Phone: 07956 253119
 
Rural Action Derbyshire

Visit the website for more information on foodbanks.

Chesterfield Borough Council Tenancy Support

We work with our tenants to provide support that will help you keep your home, including dealing with debt created through rent arrears.

Call: 01246 345068

Text: 07960 910264

Email: tenancy.sustainment.referrals@chesterfield.gov.uk

Tenancy management: 01246 345071

Tenancy Sustainment: 01246 345345

 

Chesterfield Borough Council Homelessness Prevention Team

We can offer help to prevent and relieve homelessness.

Call: 01246 345825

Out of hours call: 0808 169 2333

 

Chesterfield Borough Council Housing

Our housing team can help find you council housing, repair your council housing and support you with rent arrears. 

Call: 01246 345345 

Text: 07960 910264

Repairs Hotline: 0800 587 5659

 

Pathways of Chesterfield

Providing housing support and benefits advice in order to prevent homelessness and eradicate rough sleeping.

Call: 01246 498204

 

P3 Charity
 
If you are rough sleeping or you are a member of the public who is concerned about a rough sleeper you can refer them.
 
Call: 0808 196 8199
 
Derbyshire Law Centre

Provide free legal advice and assistance on all debt matters, housing and employment to the residents of Derbyshire.

Call 01246 550674 / Freephone 0800 707 6990 Text: 07781 482826

Textphone for deaf people: 18001 01246 550674

Email: dlc@derbyshirelawcentre.org.uk

 

Derbyshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust

Providing a free mental health support line, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Freephone: 0800 028 0077 

 

Derbyshire Recovery and Peer Support Service

 

Supporting people who are having difficulties with their mental health across the whole spectrum of mental illnesses. 

Call: 01773 734989

Email: derbyshirerecoverypeersupportservice@rethink.org

  

Samaritans

 

Offering a safe place for you to talk any time you like, in your own way – about whatever is getting to you.

Freephone: 116 123 

Email: jo@samaritans.org (response time 24 hours) 

 

Chesterfield Citizen’s Advice

Provides free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of subjects. Including debt worries, benefits claims, housing and employment problems. 

Free Advice Helpline call: 0808 278 7843 

 

Derbyshire Law Centre

Provide free legal advice and assistance on all debt matters to the residents of Derbyshire.

Call: 01246 550674

Freephone: 0800 707 6990

Text: 07781 482826

Textphone for deaf people: 18001 01246 550674

Email: dlc@derbyshirelawcentre.org.uk

 

Derbyshire Discretionary Fund

Provides grants or emergency cash payments if you are in urgent need of financial help following a crisis or disaster.

Phone: 01629 533399

  

Household Support Fund

The household support fund (HSF) is available to help Derbyshire residents facing financial hardship over the coming months by providing grants and other financial support.

Phone: 01629 533399

 

Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Credit Union

Your local community bank, providing savings, loans and money management advice.

Call 01246 278833

Email: webmail@cnedcu.co.uk

  

CAP (Christians against poverty)

Providing free debt advice and counselling. 

Phone: 0800 328 0006

If you’re over State Pension age and on a low income, you could benefit from Pension Credit - find out more on the Government website.

The Royal British Legion has launched a cost of living grants programme that is designed to assist people who need help in a quick and easy way with everyday essentials such as kitchen appliances, clothes, and energy costs.

To qualify for this support, you need to have served / or currently be serving in The Royal Navy, British Army, Royal Air Force, or be a member of their immediate family.

Links: Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire Council for Voluntary Service and Action (Links CVS) provides support to voluntary organisations and community groups
operating in Chesterfield and North East Derbyshire.

Their support includes:

  • everything involved in starting a group such as creating a constitution
  • establishing roles and responsibilities to registering as a charity

Severn Trent’s Big Difference scheme can offer a reduction of water bills to any of their customers with a household income below £18,278.

Households with child dependants may be eligible for an additional income allowance in excess of this amount.

Learn more about the Big Difference scheme on the Severn Trent website.