Health, Wellbeing and Support
Household Support Fund
The Government recently announced that funding would be available to provide grants for households in need of some short-term financial support where they are struggling to afford the cost of food, gas, electricity, oil and water bills, and other essential costs this winter. Doubtless, with the cuts to Universal Credit, rising fuel costs and inflation, there will be many such households in Somerset facing financial difficulties.
We want to ensure that as many households-in-need as possible have the opportunity to access the financial support they need.
Please see the document below.
Household Support Fund July 2022 (PDF, 2 Mb)
Administered by Somerset County Council, the Household Support Fund is available for those in acute financial need. It is a follow-up to the scheme that ran from December 2021-March 2022.
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Overview details of the Household Support Fund from Somerset County Council.
Council Tax support 2022
Mendip District Council are working hard to reach residents who are struggling with living costs. Below are two links to follow, if you are looking for support with your Council Tax.
Council Tax support for families in need
Access to hardship funds and Council Tax support if you are a low-income family and request some support.
You may be entitled to a Council Tax Discount
See the eligibility details here and ways to proceed with applications
Health & Wellbeing bulletins
As well as the links to organisations below, there are also quarterly bulletins from the Health & Wellbeing Board of Mendip District Council.
Their bulletin for February 2022 is available here.
Support lines and contacts
There are many local, regional and national groups that offer support for all residents. The full document can be accessed here
Looking after yourselves
Some fantastic resources for looking after your mental health.
Stepladder: Stepping up men's wellbeing in Somerset
Somerset Recovery College: opportunities to understand mental health & recovery strategies
Staying Happy: looking after your wellbeing
Get Outside in Somerset: getting moving, getting inspired, getting involved
Children & Young People: emotional health & wellbeing in Somerset
Every Mind Matters (NHS)
Read, talk, share - library resources for all ages' mental health (Read Well UK)