Get help through Hackney Here to Help

Hackney Here to Help is a friendly, non-judgmental team that helps Hackney residents with financial struggles or benefits advice.

 

How Hackney Here to Help can help you

Our expert officers can help you with:

  • food or fuel costs
  • benefits advice: make sure you’re claiming all entitled benefits
  • home goods: get items for a property you’re moving in to
  • disability benefits: help with applications, appeals and negative decisions
  • rent arrears: get help with overdue rent
  • rent deposit: secure a tenancy with rent in advance
  • Council Tax debt: get help with Council Tax debt and bill reduction
  • cost of removals: get help with moving costs

All our grants are discretionary. This means we assess your application to see if you qualify for help. Demand is high, and we can only use these grants as a last resort. Consider other options like money management, increasing work hours, or finding alternative accommodation.

Things Hackney Here to Help can’t help with

Hackney Here to Help can’t:

Before applying to Hackney Here to Help

Before you apply to Hackney Here to Help, here are some key things you need to know:

  • only Hackney residents can apply – you must live in the London Borough of Hackney or in accommodation provided by Hackney Council
  • provide accurate information – make sure to give your full name, address, phone number, and National Insurance number
  • read eligibility criteria for discretionary funds

Apply to Hackney Here to Help

Find out how to apply with our step-by-step guide:

  • To begin you need:

    • your national insurance number
    • consent from the individual if you are applying for someone else

    You also need documents, such as:

    • a bank statement
    • Universal Credit statement
    • tenancy agreement
    • medical evidence

    Make sure you have the necessary documents ready for when you fill out the form. Supplying them later will slow down the application process.

    Apply to Hackney Here to Help 

    If you need help with the cost of living, you can find information about help offered by the council, government and other organisations in the Cost of Living Support Guide.

  • Check your inbox or junk folder for a confirmation email from Hackney Here to Help.

    This contains resources on steps you can take today to manage the rising cost of living.

    The email is an automated message. We are not able to respond to any questions.

  • Our experts will review your situation and will contact you for additional information to support your application.

    In the meantime, you can use the Turn2Us calculator to check if there are any benefits you are eligible for that you don’t already receive.

    To find out how, see how to claim benefits using Turn2Us (google doc)

Get help with completing the application

If you’re unable to apply online, you can:

  • visit Hackney Service Centre – a member of staff will help you use the computers to complete the application
  • call 020 8356 3111 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) – a member of staff will help you complete the application over the phone, translators are available if needed

If you would like to apply online but do not have access to a computer, you can use a computer for free at any library in Hackney.

You can fill in the form on behalf of someone else with their permission.

Hackney Here to Help is a free service, you should not pay anyone to help you to complete the form.

How long it takes to get help from Hackney Here to Help

Our officers aim to assess and respond to you as quickly as possible.

Estimated times :

  • assessment for help with rent arrears: 8 to 12 weeks
  • assessment for help with rent in advance or deposit (for a specific property): 3 to 5 working days
  • assessment for help with Council Tax: 6 to 8 weeks
  • application for home goods: 6 to 8 weeks
  • help with general benefits or money advice: 2 to 4 weeks

The timelines are estimates only, for a guide. At times of high demand, these may change.

Eligibility criteria for discretionary funds

The links below provide more detail about who is eligible for each scheme and how we decide who we can pay. When you apply we will decide how best we can help you and which funds we can use to do so.

Council Tax Reduction Discretionary Fund policy 2024 to 2025 (google document)

Hackney Council’s Discretionary Housing Payments policy (PDF 2mb)

The Hackney Discretionary Crisis Support scheme public policy document (PDF 224kb)

Request a review or submit a complaint about a Hackney Here to Help decision

Page updated on: 29 July 2025

Here to help

Address

Hackney Service Centre
1 Hillman Street
London
E8 1DY

Telephone

Opening times

  • Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday – 9am to 5pm (telephone)
  • Wednesday – 9am to 4pm (telephone)