Cost of living support
Published
Wednesday 8 January, 2025
Updated
Tuesday 14 January, 2025
People struggling with the cost of living crisis can get crucial support and advice at an event in Leysdown.
Swale Borough Council are hosting the first One Swale roadshow of the year on Tuesday 14 January in the Eastern Sheppey Community Hub.
Charities and organisations will be stationed in the Community Hub on Nutts Ave, Leysdown-on-Sea, Sheerness, ME12 4QQ from 9:30am to 11:30am.
The organisations who can assist people at the roadshow include Swale Borough Council’s Healthy Homes Project, Imago, Fuel and Water Advisor, Swale Family Hubs, CXK, Citizens Advice Swale, Kent Police, KCC Financial Hardship and RSPCA Animal Welfare.
These will be offering support and help with damp and mould, people’s health and wellbeing, fuel vouchers and warm packs, employment and training and much more.
The KCC Financial Hardship team will also be there promoting their Pensioner Just Missing Out scheme, which provides financial assistance to pensioners who aren’t eligible for pension credit but may still be struggling financially.
Swale residents can also get help accessing the Household Support Fund and Pension Credit, which can open the doors to many other benefits such as housing benefits, free TV licenses and NHS dental treatment.
The council’s roadshows have helped more than 2,500 people so far with things like food and fuel vouchers, water bill reductions and health check-ups, and offered them advice on issues such as home safety, energy use, health and debt.
Cllr Richard Palmer, chair of Swale Borough Council’s Community and Leisure Committee, said:
“Our roadshows have helped connect organisations and charities who offer a wide arrange of support with thousands of people who desperately need it.
“This includes practical help such as food and fuel vouchers, water bill reductions and health checks, but also support for those feeling lonely, dealing with debt or struggling with their mental health.
“It was important to us that these events would have an impact across Swale, so we took the roadshow around the borough to make it easier for people to access this support in a judgment free environment.
“The incredible charities we worked with have helped make the roadshows a success, so a huge thank you to everyone who has been involved.”
The council is working with the Swale CVS and Faversham Community Networking Group to organise these roadshows.
The council is hosting events at different locations around the borough until March 2025, to connect people in need with organisations who can offer support.
The next events will be:
20 Feb : Heather House Sittingbourne
4 March : The Salvation Army Community Centre, Faversham
27 March : Sheppey Gateway, Sheerness.
All events run 9.30 -11.30 am
