SOCIAL & FINANCIAL SUPPORT

There is a range of support available from local and national organisations, to help during difficult situations.
Everyone has a right to access information on help and support available:
Below is a list of local charities and incentives available locally:

Money advice, emergency financial situations and help with benefits

There is a range of information available to support patients with:

  • Money advice and benefits help
  • Havering Emergency Financial Assistance Scheme
  • Food banks addresses

For information on Financial support and advice: available, visit London Borough of Havering: Emergency help | Money advice and benefits help | The London Borough Of Havering  

Get help with the cost of living

If you don’t have enough money to live on, you might be able to get help to afford essentials like bills and food, including:
  • Help with essential costs
  • Help with energy bills, rent, council tax and other bills
  • Help paying for food, with health costs, travel costs
  • Help with your energy and water if you're disabled
  • Help if you have children or are pregnant

For more information and eligibility, please visit Citizens Advice website: Get help with the cost of living - Citizens Advice

Support to help with the cost of travel

There is a range of support to help with the cost of travel:

Emergency Assistance Scheme (EAS)

Havering Council has expanded its Emergency Assistance Scheme (EAS) through the Havering Helps initiative, offering more support to residents impacted by cost-of-living pressures.
Eligible residents, including low-income households and those affected by the cuts to national winter fuel payments, may qualify for a one-time £100 grant to assist with essentials like food and heating.
To see if you're eligible, please visit the following website: Emergency Assistance Scheme

Additional winter support

Additional support is available for residents this winter, including:
  • Warm Spaces: Libraries and community centres across the borough will provide free heated spaces for residents.
  • Energy Doctors: This free service offers energy-saving advice and minor home repairs, potentially reducing energy costs by up to £209 annually.
  • School Holiday Meals: Extended through to March 2025, this program provides £15 per eligible child each week during school holidays to ensure children have meals when school is out.
  • Council Tax Relief: Information on available bill reduction schemes  via Havering Countil website
  • For other information on help for households available from the government, please visit: Help for Households - Get government cost of living support

Local Area Co-ordinators in Havering

There are Local Area Coordinators in most areas of Havering that can support you in your community. 

Coordinators support patients to build own vision for a good life, finding pragmatic solutions to any problems, and drawing on family and community resources. 

This means that instead of assessing or signposting people into services, they can: 

  • invest enough time in understanding what a good life looks like to you or your family, and how you could get there 
  • help you to build your own capacity and connections, so that you can stay strong and independent 
  • build new community connections or capacity where they don’t exist 
There is no referral process or threshold. If you live in one of the areas covered by the service, give your Local Area Coordinator a call. 

For contact details to Local Care Co-ordinator please visit:  Local Area Co-ordinators - Havering Safeguarding Adults Board

[Source: Local Area Co-ordinators - Havering Safeguarding Adults Board, April 2025]