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Cyngor Sir Ynys Môn - Isle of Anglesey County Council

Cost of living support


Headings on this page offer information and guidance with the cost of living.

It is important to remember that you are not alone and there is help available.

If you think you cannot pay your debts or are finding dealing with them overwhelming, look for help straight away.

This will help to stop the debt getting worse and help you find ways to manage your debt.

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper brings together the support and services of three government-backed financial guidance providers:

The Money Advice Service, The Pensions Advisory Service and Pension Wise.

Webchat available (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 8am to 3pm)

Phone 0800 138 7777 (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm)

Visit the MoneyHelper website

Citizens Advice Service

Citizens Advice Service provides information on benefits, employment and housing and help on debt, credit and legal issues.

Visit the Citizens Advice Service website

National Debtline

National Debtline offers free, impartial, debt advice.

Phone: 0808 808 4000 (Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 1pm)

Visit the National Debtline website

StepChange Debt Charity

StepChange Debt Charity helps people in financial difficulty by providing free, confidential, independent and realistic debt advice.

Helpline: 0800 138 1111

Visit the StepChange Debt Charity website

You may be entitled to cost of living payments if you get any of the following benefits or tax credits:

  • income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA)
  • income-related Employment and Support Allowance (ESA)
  • Income Support
  • Pension Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit

If you are eligible, the payments will be paid to you directly on certain dates by the Department of Work and Pensions.

You will not need to apply or do anything to receive the payments.

Go to GOV.UK to find out more

The main scheme has now ended.

Discretionary scheme

We have decided that the discretionary scheme fund will be used to support households that meet certain criteria.

Find out more about the discretionary cost of living payment

Anglesey Foodbank provides emergency food provision to those who are in need.

Get help from Anglesey Foodbank

You can get help paying for childcare if it’s from a registered provider such as:

  • childminder, nursery, cylch meithrin, play scheme or club
  • childminder with a registered childminder agency or childcare agency

Schemes that could be available for you

Childcare Offer for Wales

Working parents of 3 and 4 year olds may get a maximum 30 hours of combined education and childcare.

Find out more: Childcare Offer for Wales

Child Tax Credit

Help for families with children and working people on low incomes.

Find out more: Child Tax Credit

Education Maintenance Allowance

Pupils from low-income families who wish to remain in school beyond the statutory school leaving age may be able to claim the Education Maintenance Allowance.

Find out more: Education Maintenance Allowance

European Funded programme (PaCE)

Help for eligible parents who are out of work and have difficulty taking up training or employment because of childcare.

Find out more: European Funded programme

Flying Start

Up to 12.5 hours of childcare is available for children aged 2-3 years free during the three school terms if you live in a Flying Start area. Use the postcode checker to see if you qualify for the scheme or not.

Find out more: Flying Start

School Essentials Grant (previously Pupil Development Grant)

The School Essentials Grant helps families on lower incomes.

Find out more: School Essentials Grant

School meals

You may be eligible for your child to claim free school meals. Please check with your schools or fill in the application.

Find out more: Free school meals

School transport

You may be eligible for your child to claim free school transport. Please check with your schools or fill in the application.

Find out more: Free school transport

National Insurance credits

You may be entitled if you are a grandparent, or other family member, caring for a child under 12 years old, usually while the parent or main carer is working.

Find out more: National Insurance credits

Student Finance Wales

Qualifying students in higher education may be able to claim a childcare grant.

Students in further education studying in Wales may also be able to claim help with the cost of childcare from the Financial Contingency Fund.

Ask for details at your college's student support office.

Find out more: Student Finance Wales

Other Financial Support for 16+

A student may be eligible for other financial support.

Find out more: Other financial support for 16+

Tax-free childcare scheme

Helping working families with the cost of childcare.

Find out more: Tax-free childcare scheme

Universal Credit

A benefit for people out of work or on a low income.

Find out more: Universal Credit

Working Tax Credit

Help families with children and working people on low incomes.

Find out more: Working Tax Credit

UK Government: Help paying for your childcare

Government help with childcare costs for parents. 

Whether you have toddlers or teens, you could get support.

Find out more: HM Government advice

Further support

For further support please call us on 01248 725 888 Monday to Friday between the hours of 8.45am to 5pm.

Ask for Teulu Môn.

MoneyHelper is a government-backed website that makes it easier to find the right advice and the right help for free, on issues such as debt, benefits, pensions and more. 

Go to MoneyHelper

Nest

If you are worried about your energy bills, you can call Nest and speak to one of their friendly advisors. They can offer free and impartial advice on:

  • saving energy and water
  • money management
  • making sure you’re on the best energy and water tariff
  • whether you are entitled to any benefits to boost your income

Get help from Nest

Welsh Water

If you're having trouble affording to pay your bill, Welsh Water have ways to help you.

Welsh Water and free school meals

If you are family getting free school meals and you get a qualifying benefit, you may be able to get up to £230 off your annual water bill.

If you get:

  • Pension Credit
  • Income-based Job Seeker's Allowance (JSA)
  • Child Tax Credit
  • Working Tax Credit
  • Universal Credit
  • Housing Benefit
  • Council Tax Reduction/support

Call 0800 052 0145

Go to Welsh Water support information

Council tenants

If you are a council tenant and are struggling to pay your rent, please contact your Housing Management Officer on 01248 752 200 to discuss your concerns.  

Private rentals and mortgages

MoneyHelper

MoneyHelper is a government-backed website that makes it easier to find the right advice and the right help for free.

Go to MoneyHelper

Citizens Advice

Citizen's Advice gives free and impartial help and advice.

Go to the Citizens Advice website

You can use an independent, free and anonymous benefits calculator on the GOV.UK website to check what you could be entitled to.

Go the GOV.UK benefits calculator

If you are on a low income, you could get Council Tax Reduction to help you pay your Council Tax.

You can also find out about Council Tax discounts and exemptions.

Go to Council Tax Reduction

The Discretionary Assistance Fund provides 2 types of grant that you do not need to pay back.

Check your eligibility and apply for the Discretionary Assistance Fund

Carers Outreach Service will be arranging financial support to unpaid carers.

Please contact Carers Outreach Service on (01248) 370 797 or email help@carersoutreach.org.uk

Further information

The following information gives details of national carers organisations who provide advice, information and support to unpaid carers in Wales.

Carers Wales: Provides advice and information to carers and the professionals who support carers. Advice line – Monday to Friday: 0808 808 7777 website www.carersuk.org/wales

All Wales Forum: Provides a national voice to empower parents and carers of people with learning disabilities. 029 2081 1120 admin@allwalesforum.org.uk website www.allwalesforum.org.uk

Carers Trust Wales: Committed to improving support and services for unpaid carers. 0300 772 9702 wales@carers.org website https://carers.org/around-the-uk-our-work-in-wales/our-work-in-wales

We are working with the UK Armed Forces Charity to support veterans experiencing financial hardship.

The council recently secured £580,000 to deliver the Discretionary Cost-of-Living Support Scheme on behalf of the Welsh Government. Part of this funding will be used to support local armed forces veterans.

The funding, based on assessed need, will provide a payment up to £300 per household, with the SSAFA’s Anglesey’s branch distributing the payment to eligible veterans.

Apply for support

Veterans requiring more information about this support should contact Kath Eastman on (01407) 861 171 or email Kath.Eastment@Anglesey.ssafa.org.uk

Citizen's Advice gives free and impartial help and advice on things like:

  • cost of living
  • debt
  • money advice
  • benefits
  • Council Tax
  • electricity, water and gas bills

and more.

Go to the Citizens Advice website

The Financial and Digital Inclusion Team gives free and confidential advice and support, such as:

  • accessing information about utility bills and financial assistance that may be available for water/gas and electric, including accessing credit for pre-payment meters for those who are having to self-isolate and are unable to visit a pay-point
  • accessing foodbanks if someone has no income/savings to buy food
  • budgeting advice
  • reporting any changes on Universal Credit Journal or managing a Universal Credit claim online

and more.

Find out more and make an appointment online

Closed to new applications.

Go to the original information

Information from Welsh Government for help with the cost of living, such as:

  • living costs
  • housing
  • financial help
  • benefits entitlement
  • school and childcare expenses
  • further and higher education costs
  • health and wellbeing

and more.

Go to Welsh Government cost of living advice