Cost of Living Support
All financial support for Coventry residents administered by the Council can be found at this website.
Coventry Citizens Advice have provided a Support for Households document which compiles a list of national and local support.
Coventry Law Centre has a useful leaflet outlining support across the city including how to access free school meals and support with your rent.
The Coventry Independent Advice Service have also created this leaflet which you may find useful.
HOPE Coventry have a dedicated website containing Cost of Living Support.
AGE UK COMMUNITY SUPPORT
The charity has a central telephone number that our vulnerable communities are able to contact in order to reach out to a wide range of support. That number is 02476 231 999 and is available Monday – Friday 10-3 with a facility to record messages and an email which is info@ageukcovwarks.org.uk.
Age UK also provide the following resources for financial and well-being advice over the winter:
WATER BILLS SUPPORT
Severn Trent provide a number of resources available to help with your water bills. A list of these can be found by clicking here.
DIGITAL SUPPORT
HELP COVERING NHS COSTS
If you are struggling to cover NHS medical costs such as prescriptions, you can fill in the following form to apply for support at this link.
Support for Disabled People
For specialised help and advice please visit Disability Rights UK or Scope, or the free helpline 0808 800 3333. For textphone please dial 18001 then 0808 800 3333.
Details of support can be found on Scope’s website at this link.
WARM SPACES
HOPE Coventry have also created a Warm Food & Food Parcels Guide.
BENEFITS ASSESSMENT
To seek help on your benefits entitlement please contact Coventry Independent Advice Services on 024 7652 1101 or Coventry Citizens Advice on 0800 144 88 48.
HOUSING BENEFIT AND COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT
Contact the Council’s Benefits team for advice and support at benefits@coventry.gov.uk, by calling 024 7683 1800, or visiting the Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support page.
Anyone who is finding it difficult to pay their Council Tax should contact the Council Tax Team to discuss alternative payment arrangements. Call 024 7683 1111, or email counciltax@coventry.gov.uk.
COVENTRY INDEPENDENT ADVICE SERVICE
Coventry Independent Advice Service offers free, confidential, community-based advice in Coventry. They can assist on matters of benefits, debt and more. They can be contacted at 024 76521101 or you can fill in this form to request assistance.
Food support
You can enquire about accessing support from Coventry Foodbank here.
Additionally, you can find a comprehensive list of food hubs around the city at this link.
To access an emergency food hub parcel via the Household Support Fund, please call 08085 834333.
If you are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, the ‘Healthy Start’ scheme may be able to help you to buy healthy foods and get free vitamins.
CLOTHING SUPPORT AND BABY BANK
Coventry’s clothing bank, Coventry Clothing supports anyone in need of clothes or shoes.
Get help with school uniform, school shoes and warm clothing by requesting a clothes parcel.
Coventry’s baby bank is called Baby Godiva and information can be found at this link.
COVENTRY LAW CENTRE
Coventry Law Centre can be contacted for support during mandatory reconsiderations and appeals with the Department for Work and Pensions.
Call on 02476 223053
Email at enquiries@centralenglandlc.org.uk
HELP WITH RENT
If you cannot afford to pay your rent you may be able to claim extra help from the Council. This extra help is called Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs).
Email DGATeam@coventry.gov.uk or call 024 7683 3773.