Help with the cost of living

We have support services and advice for families who are struggling financially or in hardship. There are many money saving schemes available to local residents.

Help with home energy costs and grants

Home energy support

Home installations, funding and grants

Household items and housing advice

Household items support

  • Action Together - financial support toolkit useful contacts.
  • Household Fund - food, gas and electric vouchers available to Rochdale residents. Tel: 01706 923685
  • Pass It On - Furniture Reuse  - if you’re an RBH tenant and your cooker has just packed in, or you’re moving to a new home and want some more furniture, the Pass It On project could be just what you need. Tel: 0800 027 7769. 
  • Reuse Littleborough - We have provided white goods, beds and other household items to local homeless charities. Tel: 07729 564556 (The Hub).
  • Renew – household items the shops stock a wide variety of homeware, garden furniture, toys, sports equipment, books and more. Tel: 07881 385 132.
  • Freecycle – An app where people in your area can offer and purchase free second hand goods and furniture.

Housing and homelessness advice and support

  • Homelessness Advice and Prevention in Rochdale – Tel: 0300 303 8548
  • Shelter – housing advice helps millions of people every year struggling with bad housing or homelessness through our advice, support and legal services. Tel: 0808 800 4444.
  • Bond Board – We assist people who are homeless or threatened with losing their home to access private rented accommodation and maintain their tenancy. Tel: 01706 342404.
  • SnugBug – affordable, shared accommodation for people aged up to 34
  • Petrus provides residential and day support services for people in housing need throughout Rochdale. Tel: 01706 345844.
  • The Riverside Group from help with paying your rent and managing your debt, to training and finding your dream job.

Managing your money 

Government help with your energy bills

Energy Price Guarantee 

From 1st October, a new ‘Energy Price Guarantee’ will mean a typical UK household will pay no more than £2,500 a year on their energy bill for the next two years. This is automatic and applies to all households.  

This will save the average household at least £1,000 a year based on current energy prices from October and is in addition to the £400 energy bills discount for all households.

Cost of Living Payment

You may be entitled to up to 3 Cost of Living Payments of £301, £300 and £299 if you get any of the following benefits or tax credits on certain dates:

  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit

The payment will be made separately from your benefit payments.

For more information, see the GOV.UK website.

Disability Cost of Living Payment

Individuals on disability benefits will receive a one-off £150 payment in September to help with extra costs, such as for specialist equipment or transport.

This is in addition to the £650 Cost of Living Payment for disabled people who also receive means tested benefits.

Check eligibility on gov.uk

Pensioner Cost of Living Payments and Winter Fuel Payments

In the winter months pensioners can get between £100 and £300 to help pay heating bills.

They will also receive an extra one-off £300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment, which will be paid as an automatic top-up to the Winter Fuel Payment. 

Check if you’re eligible for the Pensioner Cost of Living Payment 

Check if you’re eligible for the Winter Fuel Payment

Energy Bill Price Cap

The energy price cap continues to insulate households from even higher global gas prices, so families continue to pay lower bills for their electricity and gas than they otherwise would without it.

Cold Weather Payments

£25 extra a week if you’re getting certain benefits is available during the winter when the temperature is zero or below for more than seven days.

Check if you’re eligible on the GOV.UK website. 

Help to Heat 

You may be eligible for grants to improve the energy efficiency of your home, which could help to reduce your energy bills. Government is investing in energy efficiency schemes which are being delivered by local authorities.

Find energy grants for your home

Financial support for families

Debt advice and support

  • Money Helper – Tel: 0800 138 7777
  • Money Saving Expert - The site's dedicated to cutting your bills and fighting your corner with journalistic research, cutting-edge tools and a massive community – all focused on finding deals, saving cash and campaigning for financial justice.
  • IVA.org – Free debt help and advice – Tel: 0800 138 1111
  • National Debtline Tel: 0808 808 4000
  • Debt Advice Foundation – offering free confidential advice on any aspects of debt Tel: 0800 043 4050
  • United Utilities Trust Fund - is an independent grant making trust, committed to helping people out of poverty and debt – thanks to generous donations by United Utilities Water Limited. Tel: 0300 790 6172

Benefits and employment help

Funding for families

  • Help childcare costs – help with childcare costs for eligible parents.
  • School travel expenses – free bus tickets for primary and college transport for those who are eligible.
  • Discretionary Housing Payment - Help with housing and rent - (DHP) is an emergency payment to help you with your rent or housing costs. Tel: 0300 303 8870.
  • Discretionary Crisis Fund – is a sum of money we can access as a last resort to help Rochdale borough residents who find themselves in a crisis. Tel: 01706 53222.
  • Household Fund – for families struggling this can include help with white goods, supermarket vouchers and fuel cards. Tel: 01706 923685.
  • Free School Meals - School pupils aged between 4 to 16 and pupils aged between 16 to 19 who go to a sixth form attached to a secondary school, may be able to get free school meals. Tel: 0300 030 8870.
  • Warm Spaces - in the borough of Rochdale are places where local people can gather for free in a warm, safe, welcoming place and enjoy a free drink, activities and access to other services. Email: warmspace@rochdale.gov.uk 
Help for older people

Financial wellbeing support

  • Rochdale Adult Care Service if you are a Rochdale resident aged 18 or over and you have care and support needs or find it difficult to look after yourself, the council may be able to provide you with some help. Tel: 0300 303 8886.
  • LivingWell Community Champions people from across Rochdale who make a positive difference by helping others. Tel: 01706 751190.
  • Age UK telephone services are helping isolated older people to feel more confident and connected. We also provide money and legal advice. Tel: 0800 678 1602

Benefit support

Help if you are disabled

You can claim the below benefits if you suffer from a disability. These benefits are managed and paid by central government.

  • DLA for children
  • DLA for Adults
  • PIP
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Carers allowance
  • Employment and Support Allowance
  • Work Capacity
  • Help with health cost
  • Incapacity benefit
  • Contact the disability service centre

Please see full details on financial help if you are disabled.

You can also apply for:

  • Travel pass for disabled people you could be eligible for a pass that gives you free and low-cost travel in Greater Manchester and the rest of England under the English National Concessionary Travel Scheme. Depending on your disability, you could qualify for either a travel pass for disabled people or a travel plus pass. Tel: 0161 244 1050.
  • Disability Grants –we provide grants for children, adults, families, holidays, disability equipment and housing.
  • National Disabled Persons Railcard - If you're travelling with another adult they will also get 1/3 off their rail fare, so you can save money for a friend or family member too.
  • Disabled Student Allowance - to assist students with disabilities to benefit as fully as possible from their course.
  • Family Fund - providing grants for families on low incomes raising disabled or seriously ill children and young people. Tel: 01904 550 055.
Help with food

Food Banks

How do foodbanks work? 

You need a voucher to use a foodbank. You can get a voucher from your doctor, health visitor, social worker, local citizen’s advice or charity organisation. Your local foodbank can provide emergency food for at least 3 days.

Here's a list of some of the foodbanks in Rochdale borough:

List of Food Clubs

Membership is £1 per year then you can get food to the value of £15 bag for £3.50 and buy other food items. Lots of families find this helpful with a good selection of items.

Newbold Food Club
Open: every Friday, 9.30am to 11.30am
Tel: 01706 649729
Address: Newbold Children’s Centre, Moss Street, Rochdale OL16 5NL

Heywood Food Club
Open: every Friday, 9.30am to 11.30am
Tel: 01706 369889
Address: Derby Street Children's Centre, Derby Street, Heywood OL10 4QJ

Littleborough Food Club
Open: every Thursday, 1pm to 3pm
Tel: 01706 378166
Address: Littleborough Sports Centre, Calderbrook Road, Littleborough OL15 9JN

RBH Kirkholt
Open: every Thursday, 9.30am to 12pm
Tel: 07531 556697
Address: Community Hub, 17 The Strand, Rochdale OL11 2JG

RBH Freehold
Open: every Thursday, 9.30am to 12pm
Tel: 07532 556697
Address: Community Annex, opposite 271 Olney, Freehold OL11 4LQ

RBH Smallbridge
Open: every Thursday, 9.30am to 12pm
Tel: 07532 556697
Address: 5 Stevenson Square, Smallbridge, Rochdale OL12 9SA

The LightHouse Project - Your Local Pantry
Open: every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday, 9.30am to 12.30pm
Tel: 0161 643 1163
Address: Unit S6b/c Middleton Shopping Centre, Limetrees Road, Middleton M24 4EL

KYP Community Pantry
Open: every Wednesday, 9.30am to 1.30pm
Tel: 01706 630140
Address: Enterprise Centre, Belfield Road, Rochdale OL16 2UP

Rochdale AFC - Dave vs Hunger Food Pantry
Open: Monday to Friday, 9.30am to 4.30pm
Tel: 01706 643836
Address: Crown Oil Arena, Sandy Lane, Rochdale OL11 5DR

Auntie Irene's Pantry
Open: every Wednesday, 6pm to 7pm and every Sunday, 12pm to 2pm
Tel: 07870 172142
Address: 8 St James Street, Milnrow, Rochdale OL16 3JT

Useful apps and websites

Useful apps to save money on food 

  • Supercook – An app where you can input the ingredients that you have in your cupboard and it will generate recipes that you can make to use up those ingredients.
  • Too good to go – App that connects customers to restaurants and stores that have surplus unsold food. Customers can buy bags of their takeaway favourites at serious discount prices.
  • Olio – An app for food-sharing, aiming to reduce food waste. It does this by connecting those with surplus food to those who need or wish to consume such food.
  • No waste – With lists for your freezer, fridge and pantry, you can easily check what food you have left, see what food you need to use first, plan your meals, create a shopping list, avoid unnecessary purchases, reduce food waste and save money along the way.
  • Love Food Hate Waste – A website full of recipes and fantastic advice on simple ways to save food, save money and use up leftover food.
  • BBC Food – A great source for budget recipes, meal plans and advice on how to save money on food over the Christmas period.

Useful social media accounts

  • Tamingtwins – A great source for fuss-free family meal plans and recipes along with shopping lists.
  • Feeding a family on £1 a day – A fantastic group with lots of ideas posted by the content creator and members of the community about easy ways to feed your family well for less.
  • Cardiff Mum – A page full of meal plans that help you make 5 evening meals from a £25 Aldi shop. This is great for general meal inspiration and help on how to make your money go further.
Contact us

Our Rochdale Support lines are open Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

Telephone: 01706 923685

Local advice

  1. Help with food for families

    Find support if you need help with food for your family. We have local food banks and you can join our food club. We can help with food vouchers for children on free school meals and for families experiencing difficult times, through the household fund.…

External Links

  1. Cost of Living: Effect on the Nation’s Mental Health

Downloads

  1. Food Support (124KB pdf)
  2. Cost of Living toolkit (52KB pdf)
  3. Cost of Living Infographics English (12798KB pdf)
  4. Cost of Living Infographics Bangla (6594KB pdf)
  5. Cost of Living Infographics Urdu (12034KB pdf)

Page last reviewed: 10/11/2023