Help with the rising cost of living

If you are facing debt or rent arrears, do not be tempted to approach a loan shark or take a payday loan. Our staff can help you manage your accounts and help and advise on benefits and dealing with debt.

If you are struggling, contact us as soon as possible, on 0208 356 3100.

If you’re facing severe hardship and have no other source of money our Hackney Money Hub team may be able to help if you:

• have an unexpected emergency and need a small amount of money to help
• have an ongoing financial issue such as high rent payments
• are struggling to manage debts
• need essential household items like beds, fridges or cooking equipment

Apply for support from Hackney Money Hub

If you need support completing the form a member of staff can help you at:

• any Hackney Library 
• Hackney Service Centre,1 Hillman St, London E8 1DY

You can also call us on 0208 356 3111.

Fair Money Advice provides free debt and money advice sessions at Dalston CLR James Library every two weeks on a Thursday.

To book a free appointment call Fair Money Advice on 0203 475 8811 or email info@fairmoneyadvice.org.

You can use a benefits calculator to check you are claiming everything you should be. If you’re an older person use the Age UK benefits calculator.

If you want us to check you’re receiving all the benefits you’re entitled to and help you claim, complete our Hackney Money Hub form.

Complete Hackney Money Hub form

If you need support completing the form a member of staff can help you at:

• any Hackney Library 
• Hackney Service Centre,1 Hillman St, London E8 1DY

You can also call us on 0208 356 3111.

If you are over the state pension age and on a low income, you can get help, such as:

• housing benefit
• support for mortgage
• interest payments
• Council Tax discount
• help with NHS dental treatment
• help with heating costs

Claim pension credit

If you can’t claim pension credit online you can:

• call – 0800 99 1234
• textphone – 0800 169 0133
• Relay UK (if you cannot hear or speak on the phone) – 18001 then 0800 99 1234

The National Data Bank is giving free mobile data to people who can’t afford their internet connection.

To find out if you’re eligible, visit Good Things Foundation – National Databank.

If you’re expecting your first child the Sure Start Grant can help. You could be eligible for a one-off payment of £500 to help towards the cost of having a child.

To find out how to apply for the grant and for more information, visit GOV.UK – Sure Start Maternity Grant.

If you struggle to pay for your prescriptions, you might be eligible for free prescriptions.

To find out if you’re eligible and for more information, visit NHS – who can get free prescriptions.

If you need help with childcare costs there are many types of financial help, including free childcare.

To find what financial help you can get, visit Hackney education and schools.

If you’re on a low income or experiencing financial difficulties we could reduce your Council Tax bill by up to £80 a month.

See Council Tax reduction claim or call 0208 356 3399.

The London Energy Saving Squad (LESS) gives advice, information and support on their home energy use and bill switching.

LESS can also identify grants that could help you.

You can contact LESS on 0800 915 3575.

If your household income is below £20,111 you could qualify for a water bill discount. Thames Water also has a scheme to cap bills for some people, as well as a hardship fund.

Visit Thames Water financial support or call 0800 009 3652.

If you are experiencing temporary difficulty paying your rent you can apply for a discretionary housing payment.

Apply for a discretionary housing payment

If you need help applying or need more information, call 0208 356 3399.

If you’re a council tenant and are experiencing tenancy problems, call 0208 356 3330 or email neighbourhoods@hackney.gov.uk.

We can help prevent homelessness and help you find settled housing.

See Housing options and advice.

You can call us on 0208 356 2929, 9am to 5pm. If you need to contact us after 6pm, call 0208 356 2300.

If you’re having issues paying your service charge bill, major work bill or you want to amend your payment plan, call us on 0208 356 2299 or email service.charges@hackney.gov.uk.

All primary school children will be offered free school meals for the academic year from September 2023. This is thanks to an investment by the Mayor of London. It is still important you register for free meals (if you are eligible). This allows your school to claim important extra funding that will benefit your child. 

Currently all children in reception, Year 1 and Year 2 get a free meal at school regardless of income.

However, if you are receiving certain types of benefits, your child may be eligible for free school meals from Year 3 onwards.

Apply for free school meals

We have created a Free School Meals task force, aimed at providing a hot, healthy meal to as many children in poverty as possible in the long-term.

The Healthy Start Scheme is an NHS scheme supporting people who are more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under four, to help to buy healthy food and milk. If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops, with credits added to the card every four weeks. You can use your card to buy:

• plain liquid cow’s milk
• fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables
• fresh, dried, and tinned pulses
• infant formula milk based on cow’s milk

You can also use your card to collect Healthy Start vitamins – these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding; vitamin drops for babies and young children – these are suitable from birth to four years old.

To check your eligibility and to apply, email healthy.start@nhsbsa.nhs.uk, call 0300 330 7010 or visit NHS – get help to buy food and milk.

The Rose Vouchers for Fruit & Veg Project helps families on low incomes to buy fresh fruit and vegetables.

To be eligible families need to meet the criteria for the Healthy Start voucher scheme. Eligible families receive £3 of Rose Vouchers every week for each child, or £6 if the child is under one year old.

The vouchers can be obtained from local children’s centres and can be used at Ridley Road Market, single stalls at Hoxton and Well Street, and at the following greengrocers in N16 – Fresh & Fruity at 151 Stamford Hill, Just Ripe in Oldhill Street, and Getters in Dunsmure Road.

Those eligible can collect the vouchers from:

• Comet Children’s Centre, 20 Halcomb St, London N1 5RF
• Linden Children’s Centre, 86-92 Rectory Rd, London N16 7SH
• Lubavitch Children’s Centre, 1 Northfield Rd, London N16 5RL
• Minik Kardes Children’s Centre, Balls Pond Rd, London N1 4BW
• Oldhill Children’s Centre, Oldhill St, London N16 6LR
• Sebright Children’s Centre, Haggerston Park, Queensbridge Rd, London E2 8NP
• Thomas Fairchild Children’s Centre, Forston St, London N1 7HA
• Woodberry Down Children’s Centre, Springpark Dr, Woodberry Down, London N4 2NP.

For more information, call 01252 726 171 or visit Alexandra Rose Charity.

Hackney Foodbank provides emergency food parcels to anyone going through a temporary crisis or those trapped in poverty. They offer practical, immediate relief and can connect you with local organisations who can help with any wider issues you are facing.

You can contact them on 0207 254 2464 (Monday to  Friday 10am to 2pm) to talk through your situation.

See Hackney Foodbank.

You can also call our prioritised emergency food poverty line on 0208 356 3111 as we are a referral agency for Hackney Foodbank.

There are a number of community food projects offering people access to healthy and affordable food or providing free meals for vulnerable people.

You can view a calendar of food projects and free meals in the cost of living support guide (PDF 664kb)

Hackney Council for Voluntary Service (CVS) supports a network of lunch clubs which are financially supported by us.

The lunch clubs aim to improve the health and wellbeing of people aged 55 and over in Hackney and neighbouring boroughs.

See a list of all community lunch clubs in the cost of living support guide (PDF 664kb)

For more information contact the lunch clubs directly.

Supermarkets including Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons are offering discounts and offers.

Morrisons

Kids eat free with one adult meal – when you purchase one adult meal costing over £4.99, you can get a child’s meal free. It applies only to children aged 16 and under and it excludes all café specials. Kids’ meals also include a piece of fruit and Tropicana Kids Orange or Apple drink or bottle of water. No end date has been announced for this deal.

Asda

Kids eat for £1 in the cafe – You can get a kids hot or cold meal for just £1 in Asda cafes. The Kids Eat for £1 deal is available all day long until the end of March.

Free sanitary products at Morrisons

If you are struggling with the cost of sanitary products you can go to any Morrisons customer service desk and ask for a package for ‘Sandy’ or a ‘period product pack’ to be given a free discreet envelope with sanitary products.

Lidl

You can pick up a 5kg veg box for £1.50. You can find them by the checkout area, subject to availability.

Visit Cooking classes in Hackney.

The Olio phone app provides a platform for you to share unwanted food and other items with your community. You can also use the app to pick up leftover goods from stores or catering suppliers for free.

The NoWaste app allows you to:

• scan receipts and barcodes
• log your weekly shop
• make lists of what you already have
• plan meals
• receive automatic reminders about when food items are going to expire

The Too Good To Go app lets you buy and collect magic bags filled with surplus food at a reduced price from:

• cafes
• restaurants
• hotels
• shops
• manufacturers

The Second Chance Cafe is a place where all community members can sit down and share a meal together, every Thursday and Friday 11am to 2pm. Their pay-what-you-want model means you can pay something or nothing for your meal.

Free swimming in Hackney

Under 18s, over 60s, disabled people and their carers can swim for free across the borough, all year round at Britannia Leisure Centre, Clissold Leisure Centre and Kings Hall Leisure Centre. Disabled people and their carers can also swim for free at London Fields Lido.

Visit the Better website to learn more about free swimming in Hackney

Walkingtogether

It’s a programme of weekly and monthly walks around Hackney, delivered in partnership with the Ramblers. There are limited spaces on each walk and it’s based on a first come first served basis.

To register or check the walks available visit walks and walking groups or call 0208 356 4897.

Healthier Together Hackney

The programme offers a three month free gym membership for weight to support people in achieving their personal goals of losing weight or becoming more active. To join, people need to be over 18 and either a Hackney resident or registered with a Hackney GP. They can be referred to the service by their consultant, GP, practice nurse or any other health or social care professional who will need to complete a referral form.

Contact us on 0203 903 7245 or HTHS@gll.org.

The New Age Games Programme

New Age Games is a sport and physical activity programme for Hackney residents aged 50 and over. It can help you increase the amount of exercise you do and sustain it, contributing to a healthy lifestyle.

Check for the latest programme of activities by calling our prioritised support line on 0208 356 4897 or visit exercise for over 50’s.

Free cycle training

We offer free individual or group cycle training sessions.

To book a session and for more information, visit Cycle training.

Our libraries are free to visit, open to everyone and have free wifi.

You can use them to:

• read books
• charge your phone
• browse the internet

Most of our libraries have study spaces and are open until 8pm in the evening. They also run free activities for:

• toddlers
• children
• adults
• families

Community library service

The community library service can deliver library material to your home if you can’t access your local library due to:

•  temporary or permanent illness
• a disability or caring responsibilities

The service is free and users receive a visit every four weeks.

To join the community library service call 0208 356 4577 or 0208 356 4831. You can also email home.visitlibrary@hackney.gov.uk.

Kind coat libraries

Pick up a coat or donate a coat for someone who needs one at one of our Kind coat libraries:

• Stoke Newington
• Homerton
• Shoreditch
• Stamford Hill
• Dalston CLR James
• Hackney Central
• Clapton

If you are 19+ and live in the borough you could benefit from one of the many courses.

Courses are run at various locations across the borough and by qualified and experienced teachers who will help you achieve your goals.

Family Friendly courses are also available where you and your children can learn new skills together.

Many of the courses are free.

See Hackney Opportunities or call 0208 356 5055 or email iag@hackney.gov.uk

Hackney Works is a free employment support service helping Hackney residents to see what their job goals are, helping people with their CVs, job applications, interview preparation and finding suitable work placements, apprenticeships and employment.

Call 0208 356 5700 or email hackneyworksinfo@hackney.gov.uk.

Visit Hackney Opportunities to:

• view current job opportunities in and around the borough
• register for support with job searches
• find out about training opportunities

If you would like to help other residents cope with the emotional, mental and physical challenges presented by the cost of living crisis, you could become a volunteer.

To register, call 0207 7241 4443 or visit Volunteer Centre Hackney.

If you need support with your mental health, contact City and Hackney 24 hour mental health crisis helpline on 0800 073 0006.

Find support services can help you find local organisations offering support, advice and activities to Hackney and City residents.

If you think you have been a victim of fraud, report it to Action Fraud.

You can also report it by phone, on 0300 123 2040.

Hoxton Trust

Hoxton Trust offers free legal advice on a variety of issues
including:

• welfare
• benefits
• debt
• housing
• employment
• consumer issues
• education issues

Contact Hoxton Trust on 0207 613 4174 or email reception@hoxtontrust.org.

Hackney Community Law Centre

Hackney Community Law Centre provides free and independent legal advice and representation to people living, working or studying in Hackney. Services include advice and support with:

• debt
• housing
• welfare benefits
• immigration and visa issues

Contact their advice line on 0208 985 5236 between 10am to 12pm, Monday to Thursday.