Cost of Living
Cost of living advice
The Government has announced a range of measures to assist with the rising cost of living and more information is available on the GOV.UK help for households webpage.
Find support, information, advice and guidance to help you and your family, friends and communities from Nottinghamshire County Council.
Additional information has been provided with the help with the cost of living.
There are also several options available that might be of some assistance to residents:
Maximising your income / benefits
Universal Credit (UC) ‐ the Department of Work and Pensions want to encourage people who could be better off financially to consider moving to UC. They estimate that more than half of current claimants will be better off. For further information go to:
Universal Credit: What Universal Credit is - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Pension Credit - this is one of the most under-claimed benefits by those of pension-age. If you are entitled to Pension Credit this can lead to additional help with Council Tax and free TV licences for over 75's. To check if you, or a family member might be entitled to Pension Credit, please go to:
Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Rising food and energy bills
Household Support Fund
Extra support to help with rising bills is now being offered to Rushcliffe residents, led by Nottinghamshire County Council.
Thanks to the Government’s Household Support Fund (HSF) Nottinghamshire County Council, Rushcliffe and other Borough and District partners will continue to share vital money worth £11.2 million to those in immediate need of help, because of the rising costs of food and energy between March 2023 and March 2024.
Find out more about the Household Support Fund.
Housing Benefit / Council Tax Support if you are pension-age and live in rented accommodation and are on a low income you may be able to claim help with your rent. If you pay Council Tax and are on a low income you may be able to claim Council Tax Support. To check potential entitlement and to make a claim go to:
Benefit Calculator and Claim (teamnetsol.com)
General benefit advice
For all general benefits advice go to:
Browse: Benefits - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)
Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper
Benefits advice and information | Nottinghamshire County Council
Benefit calculators - there are also various benefit calculators available which provide independent advice regarding benefits you may be entitled to:
Benefits Calculator - entitledto - independent | accurate | reliable
Benefit and budgeting calculator | Policy In Practice (betteroffcalculator.co.uk)
Benefits calculator and benefits advice - What benefits am I entitled to? | Age UK
Benefit calculators: what benefits can you get - Citizens Advice
Managing your money/expenditure
If you need help to manage your money and general budgeting advice, there is a useful tool available on the Citizens Advice website:
Work out your budget - Citizens Advice
If you are experiencing difficulties with your household energy costs in the first instance, please discuss this with your provider.
The Citizens Advice website also contains some useful information regarding grants and benefits available to help pay energy bills, see:
Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills - Citizens Advice
If you are having difficulties with your water payments Severn Trent's Big Difference scheme is available for those on a low income, see:
Big Difference Scheme | Help with paying your bill | Help when you need it | My Account | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)
Housing help
If you are in private rented or Housing Association accommodation and your rent is not covered in full by Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit the council has limited funding to support some shortfalls via our Discretionary Housing Payment scheme, please see:
Discretionary housing payment - Rushcliffe Borough Council
If you require more specialised housing advice, our Housing team have a number of options available, see:
Housing advice and homelessness - Rushcliffe Borough Council
If you are tenant of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing there is help available with maximising your income, reducing expenses, getting grants, and accessing specialist support, see:
Money advice - Metropolitan Thames Valley (mtvh.co.uk)
If you are a tenant of Platform Housing, they have a Wellbeing Fund available to provide support for their tenants:
Platform Wellbeing Fund | Platform Housing Group (platformhg.com)
Council services - County Council
Nottinghamshire County Council have a range of support in line with their services.
Citizens Advice Bureau also have a range of support available:
Universal Credit (UC)
Contact the national Help To Claim line 8am – 6pm Monday to Friday on 0800 144 8 444
General Advice
Citizens Advice Adviceline on 0300 330 5457
Rushcliffe Advice network:
Tel: 0115 982 7252 Mob: 07795 695574
Bingham Advice Centre:
Bingham Town Council
The Old Court House
Church Street
Bingham
Telephone: 07549 184832
Opening Hours: Every Wednesday 9:30am- 12:30pm
Drop in for advice
Cotgrave Advice centre:
All Saint’s Church
Plumtree Road
Cotgrave
NG12 3HT
TEL: 0115 989 3294
Email: cotgraveadvicecentre@gmail.com
Opening hours: Mondays 5-7pm, Tuesdays and Thursdays 9am – 12pm
West Bridgford Advice Centre:
St. Giles Church Hall
Stratford Road
West Bridgford
Nottingham
NG2 6AZ
TEL: 0115 982 1475 (Wednesdays only)
Email: westbridgfordadvicecentre@gmail.com
Opening Hours: Wednesdays 9:30am - 12:30pm
Radcliffe on Trent Advice Centre:
St Mary’s Hall
Main Road
Radcliffe on Trent
NG12 2FD
TEL: 07549184832
Email: enquiries@radcliffeadvicecentre.org.uk
Opening times: Thursdays 9:30 – 12:30pm
Keyworth Advice centre:
Feignies Room
Keyworth Village Hall
Elm Avenue
Keyworth
NG12 5AN
TEL: 07584 843086
Email: advice.keyworth@gmail.com
Opening Times: Tuesdays 1:00pm - 4:00pm
Debt Advice
Contact the Citizens Advice Debt team on 0115 945 3989.
If you need specialised advice on debt issues, something useful sites include:
StepChange Debt Charity - Free Expert Debt Advice
The Money and Pensions Service | Building financial wellbeing
Debt and money - Citizens Advice
Rushcliffe Community Assistance
For information on warm spaces, food banks, food & meals offers, loneliness and cost of living support please see the Community Assistance Documents.
Warm spaces
Keyworth, Parochial Church Hall, Selby Lane, Fridays, November 17, 2023 to March 22, 2024
West Bridgford, St Giles Church, every Wednesday 12.45-2.15pm
Food banks and other food support outlets
Keyworth Community Food Bank
keyworthcp@gmail.com
No referral needed.
Village Hall Entrance
21 Elm Avenue
Keyworth
NG12 5AN
Wednesday 2.30pm – 3.30pm
The Friary
Contact your Social Prescriber for a referral.
46 Musters Road
West Bridgford
NG2 7PR
Mon-Wed-Fri
8am -12pm
Advice and support available, on a case to case basis.
https://the-friary.org.uk/
admin@the-friary.org.uk
Tel: 0115 982 5448
Sewa Day
hkp117@googlemail.com
Tel 07581422396
Contact Sewa directly for self-referral.
Food parcels for Rushcliffe residents fortnightly for a maximum of 4 months. Currently operating a waiting list but
emergency one-off food parcels can be obtained preferably by collection. Can deliver in exceptional circumstances.
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Bingham Food Warriors Bingham Town Council, The Old Court House, Church Street, Bingham (1) Bingham Food Warriors | Facebook Or contact Laura Steed though the Social Prescribing Service. |
Saturday 9.30am – 10.30am Send them a message on Facebook to self-refer. They can drop off a one-off food parcel in Bingham and surrounding areas. You may then attend every Saturday mini food shop. No need for a donation unless you absolutely wish to donate. |
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Cotgrave Community Kitchen Cotgrave Futures Building, Cotgrave, Nottingham, NG12 3JG |
Mini Market Open Thursday 10.30 – 12.30 Saturday 10.30 – 12.30 Cheap foods sold from a supply of surplus foods from a variety of supermarkets. Plus ambient foods from retailers, providers and households. They are subscribed to Fareshare to save foods going to landfill and fresh vegetables harvested from the community garden and local allotments when available. They also sponsor “kids eat free” in school half term holidays at the Manvers pub in Cotgrave. Suggested voluntary donations greatly received. |
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Cotgrave Community Garden cotgravecommunitygarden@gmail.com Tel 07851 786115 |
Saturday’s 10.30 – 12.30 Community Garden produce and coffee/produce mornings. In conjunction with the Community Garden, Cotgrave Kitchen run a coffee morning every other Friday currently being held at the Manvers pub until the weather gets better then will be back at the garden. Kids eat free with any adult purchase of drink or food at the Manvers pub in Cotgrave . |
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Radcliffe on Trent Methodist Church, NG12 2AJ Contact administrator nottinghamsouth@gmail.com |
Community Café - Third Saturday every month from 09.30 to 11.30am. Soup Lunch - first Thursday every month 12pm to 2pm £4 Friday Coffee Morning - every week 09.30 to 11.30am |
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Café on the Corner – Community Kitchen St Pauls Church, Boundary Road, West Bridgford, NG2 7BD Tel – 0115 9452019 |
Café on the Corner open various hours daily and Social Eating. Monday 9am – 2pm Tuesday 9am – 2pm Wednesday 9am – 10am Thursday 9am – 2pm Friday 9am – 6pm Free food if in crisis. Monday 11am-1pm is host for Eat Meet and Greet Social supermarket, cheaply sold food and fresh produce. Friday’s from 12 are official warm space and free 3 course meal and hot drinks. Or Pizza, Chill and Chat for £1. Social eating events Fridays 6.30pm |
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Meet and Eat at St Giles |
Every Wednesday Behind St Giles’ Church Stratford Rd, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 6BA 12.45 – 2.15pm FREE hot drinks, homemade soup |
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Meet, Greet and Eat Social Supermarkets |
Every Monday St Paul’s Church Boundary Rd, West Bridgford, Nottingham NG2 7DB 11.00 – 1.00pm Every Friday West Bridgford Young People’s Centre (Next door to the West Bridgford Library) 12.00 midday – 2.00pm Light refreshments available Redistributed food Including fruit vegetables bread and more! All donations greatly appreciated. |
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Keyworth Abundance The ExChanging Rooms, off the Elm Avenue car park, Keyworth Please see more information about our workshops, events and regular craft sessions on our Facebook page - Keyworth Abundance or email us at |
Winter months (Dec -March) for recycling, every Saturday 10am -11am Spring and Summer months (April - November) every Saturday 10am -12 noon. We have the most food (fruit and seasonal vegetables) from End July -beginning of November, which is our picking season and surplus vegetables from the local allotment. But we have herbs and spices all year round and a plant sale every 3rd Saturday of the month, when our community garden is open, with recycling and budget ideas for a small eco garden. |
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Heat n Eat Ruddington Peters Church, NG11 6EL Book online at https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/heat-n-eat-share-a-meal-and-good-company-tickets- 352508902617. Or email church administrator Nikki at ruddoffice@gmail.com |
Twice monthly, 1st and 4th Mondays 12.30pm. 2 course hot meal at St Peter’s Church for £1. |
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Ruddington Pantry Part of the Community Fridges Project: St Peters Rooms, Church Street, Ruddington NG11 6HD Tel 07547 906079 |
Wed 12.30 - 1pm Sunday 4pm to 4.30pm. Surplus food donations from retailers, producers and households. No charge and no limit on attendances. |
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Too Good to Go – download the app to utilise |
To make sure good food gets eaten, not wasted. Every day, delicious, fresh food goes to waste at cafes, restaurants, hotels, shops and manufacturers - just because it hasn’t sold in time. The Too Good To Go app lets customers buy and collect Magic Bags of this food - at a great price - directly from businesses. Bags of food vary £3-5 from participating supermarkets and food outlet |
Free or reduced cost furniture and white goods
The Arches:
Website: The Arches Nottingham
Email: info@thearchesnottingham.org
The Arches is a charity that provides free furniture for those in need. The customer must be referred by a professional (GP, Social worker, Housing officer etc) and they do not deliver so the customer must be able to transport whatever furniture they receive.
Rushcliffe housing team can only refer customers that we have assisted into housing. Any other customers would need to approach another professional that may be assisting them such as their GP or a social worker.
The Furniture project:
Website: The Furniture Project
Phone: 01623 836410
Email: recycle@thefurnitureproject.net
The Furniture project is an organisation that provides reduced price furniture to those in need. There is a cost for the items but they can deliver.
The customer must be referred by a professional (GP, Social Worker, Housing Officer etc)
Rushcliffe’s Housing Options team can only refer customers that we have assisted into housing. Any other customers would need to approach another professional that may be assisting them such as their GP or a social worker.