Tax-Free Childcare to help parents to save on their childcare bills

With Tax-Free Childcare, families arranging childcare for the start and end of the school day can get financial support of up to £2,000 a year per child, or £4,000 if their child is disabled, towards the cost. Parents can use the scheme to pay for childcare for children aged 11 or under, or up to 16 if the child has a disability.

For every £8 deposited in a Tax-Free Childcare account, the government tops it by £2 which means parents can receive up to £500 (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) every three months to use to pay for their childcare costs.

Once an account is opened, parents can deposit money and use it straight away or keep it in the account to use whenever it’s needed. Any unused money in the account can be withdrawn at any time.  

For more information about Tax-Free Childcare and how to register visit GOV.UK.

Reminder to extend Child Benefit for your teen

Parents of 16 to 19 year olds, who are staying in education or training, can extend their Child Benefit claim to guarantee payments in September.

Child Benefit will automatically stop on 31 August on or after a child’s 16^th birthday if it’s not extended.

You can apply to extend Child Benefit quickly and easily via the HMRC app or online on the Gov.UK website. You need to do this by 31 August

https://www.gov.uk/child-benefit-16-19

Child Benefit is currently worth £26.05 per week - or £1,354.60 a year - for the eldest or only child and £17.25 per week - or £897 a year - for each additional child. More than 870,000 parents extended their Child Benefit claim for their teen last year with the majority confirming online or via the HMRC app in minutes.

Child Benefit can continue to be paid for young people who are studying full time in non-advanced education as well as unpaid approved training courses. Visit GOV.UK to check full eligibility.

The Pensions Act 2014 set out the timescale for the increase in State Pension age from 66 years old to 67 years old and will first affect those born between 6 April 1960 and 5 March 1961.

Anyone born between these dates should check their State Pension age to find out the earliest point at which they’ll be eligible for their State Pension.

It’s important for everyone to check their State Pension age. You can do this by using the State Pension age calculator on GOV.UK State Pension age calculator

The HAF Programme is funded nationally by the Department for Education and supports local organisations to provide free holiday provision to school aged children and young people from reception to year 11 (inclusive) on benefits-related free school meals (FSM) - helping them to access healthy food, take part in fun activities and meet new friends in a safe and fun environment.

There are also paid places available with some providers for those who do not meet the criteria, so that other children and young people can join in the fun too.

Full information is available on the dedicated Cheshire West and Chester pages of the HAF website.
Summer Holiday Activities and Food

Edsential Community Interest Company is working with several organisations, including schools, community, voluntary and faith sector organisations to organise 65 summer holiday activity clubs throughout the borough.

Each eligible child will be provided with a good quality nutritious meal, plus, they can look forward to a wide range of activities designed to be engaging and fun. From sports such as football, dodgeball and rounders to den building, baking, cooking classes and forest school activities.

Brio Leisure is offering a variety of activities for young people. Sports camps will be held at Neston Recreation Centre, catering for 4 to 12-year-olds. Additionally, fun and floats and craft sessions are available for young people aged 5 to 18 years with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) at Ellesmere Port Sports Village, Winsford Lifestyle Centre, and Northwich Memorial Court. For further details or enquiries, please email: info@brioleisure.org.

Young People Service will deliver a Future Focus summer scheme. The programme is aimed at young people aged 16-19 who are currently not in employment, education or training, or leaving Year 11 this summer and have not yet secured a post 16 placement for September. The range of activities will include confidence building and employment skills, team building and emotional and financial wellbeing.

Youth Zone for 11–16-year-olds (up to 25 for our SEND children and young people) will provide a summer programme including activity day trips, indoor and outdoor sports sessions, team building skills, Breakout Rooms and much more. For more information, email the Youth Service:
YoungPeoplesService@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

For more information about SEND specific activities, check out our website or if you have any queries, email: AimingHighForDisabledChildren@cheshirewest.gov.uk

To check if your child is eligible for Free School Meals, visit our website:
Free school meals | Cheshire West and Chester Council

If you have any questions about the HAF programme , please email:
HAF@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk

A comprehensive list of other, non-HAF related, summer holiday activities across the borough is available on the Council’s website:
School holiday activities | Cheshire West and Chester Council

The government’s Household Support Fund is there to support households most in need, especially with energy costs, food, water bills and other related essential items. The current round provides funding until 31 March 2026.

Cheshire West and Chester plan to spend the money in the following ways:

• food vouchers for families with children who get free school meals
• payments to Pensioners who receive Pension Credit
• payments to Pensioners on a low income who are not receiving Pension Credit and therefore no longer qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment support
• making financial support available to people via local charitable organisations
• helping low-income households with energy and food costs
• income maximisation software to support residents to claim all of their eligible entitlements.

The round of discretionary funding for 2025/26 is now open for applications and is available to a broad range of low-income households across the borough, including families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people. The discretionary scheme is only open to households which have an active claim for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

More information including how to apply can be found using the link below.
https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/household-support-fund

As of early July, we have now contacted all eligible Pension Credit customers directly to advise how to claim this payment.

The Council had previously intended to issue payments to pensioners on a low income who are not receiving Pension Credit to replace lost Winter Fuel Payment support. However, following amendments to the Winter Fuel Payment by central government, this support is no longer required.

Therefore, in the autumn, we will be directly contacting all eligible low-income pensioners who are receiving Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction, to advise how to claim additional support. More details will be provided in future newsletters. Please note that pensioners who have previously claimed Household Support Fund payment since December 2024, where possible the Council will reuse previous payment details provided so an application may not be required.

Additional support and advice is available for anyone who is struggling to pay their bills, requires debt advice or who’s health has been affected by the rising cost of living.
http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/cost-of-living

Warm Homes Grant funding is expected to be available until 31 March 2028 in west Cheshire for home insulation and renewables such as heat pumps and solar panels. The grant has been made possible by funding from the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero.

Grants are available for homes which have an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) that is Band D, E, F or G. You can check on the Energy Performance Certificate Register(External link) for your address. If your property doesn't have a certificate, we can help you to arrange one if you qualify for this scheme.

The amount of grant you can apply for varies depending on your property and the type of work that is needed. Homeowners are typically not expected to pay anything towards the scheme unless building repairs are needed before the insulation or renewables can be installed. In private rented properties, the landlord is expected to make a minimum 50 per cent contribution to the scheme after the first property.

Typical improvements to your home that may be carried out using the grant, include:

• solid wall insulation (internal or external)
• cavity wall insulation
• loft, room-in-roof and flat roof insulation
• under-floor insulation
• heat pump
• solar photovoltaic (PV) panels for electricity generation
• high heat retention electric storage heaters, where a heat pump isn't suitable
• heating controls.

The target is for the energy efficiency measures to improve your EPC rating by at least two bands - for example, if your home is Band E, it should reach Band C or above with the planned improvements.

To qualify, you must be a homeowner who is living in the property as their main residence, or a private tenant, and meet the income criteria listed below.

• You receive an income related benefit (for example, Universal Credit, Pension Credit Guarantee, Council Tax Support, income-related Employment and Support Allowance, or Tax Credits), or
• Your total household income before tax, National Insurance and other deductions is no more than £36,000, or
• Your total household income before tax, National Insurance and other deductions is no more than £20,000 after your housing costs have been deducted (by housing costs, we mean mortgage payments, rent payments and Council Tax).

When we calculate your household income, we will ignore any disability benefits (such as Personal Independence Payment or Attendance Allowance) so this will not count towards your household income. If you think you may be eligible please contact: homeenergy@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk(External link)

A member of the Council’s Climate Change Team will contact you to confirm your eligibility (we will ask you to provide us with documents to confirm your income) and explain the next steps.

Your voice is important to us. If you or a member of your family/friends uses any of the services detailed below, then we’re keen to get your/their views as this will help us to make improvements to our services.

Starting Well
We would like to gather some initial ideas from people who use a Starting Well 0-19 service (up to 25 years old for those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and those who don’t, to understand what works well and what could be done better.

The Starting Well service delivers support to children, young people, their families and carers across Cheshire West and Chester. The service is based mainly in Children’s Centres but also delivers support in families and carers' homes, and in schools.

Closing date for responses – Friday, 9 May 2025

The form takes approximately 10 minutes to complete.

Complete the feedback form

Adult Social Care
We want to hear about your experience when receiving support from the Council’s Adult Social Care Service.

The survey is open to those people who are receiving support as well as their family members, carers and advocates. We’re keen to hear what you think is particularly good about the service you’ve received from Adult Social Care and where you think we could make improvements.

This is an open-ended feedback form so there is no closing date for responses.

The survey takes approximately 5 minutes to complete.

Complete the short survey

The government’s Household Support Fund is there to support households in the most need, especially with energy costs, food, water bills and other related essential items. The new round provides funding until 31 March 2026.

Cheshire West and Chester have chosen to spend the money in the following ways:

• food vouchers for families with children who get free school meals
• payments to Pensioners who receive Pension Credit
• payments to Pensioners on a low income who are not receiving Pension Credit and therefore no longer qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment support
• making financial support available to people via local charitable organisations
• helping low-income households with energy and food costs
• income maximisation software to support residents to claim all of their eligible entitlements.

The new round of discretionary funding for 2025/26 will open by 16 May 2025 for applications and is available to a broad range of low-income households across the borough, including families with children of all ages, pensioners, unpaid carers, care leavers and disabled people. The discretionary scheme is only open to households which have an active claim for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Reduction.

More information including how to apply can be found using the link below.
https://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/residents/benefits-and-welfare-help/cost-of-living/household-support-fund/energy-and-food-cost-support

During June, we will be contacting eligible Pension Credit customers directly to advise how to claim the support.

In the Autumn, we will be directly contacting eligible low-income pensioners who are not receiving Pension Credit, to advise how to claim the support. More details will be provided in future newsletters.

Additional support and advice is available for anyone who is struggling to pay their bills, requires debt advice or who’s health has been affected by the rising cost of living.
http://www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/cost-of-living

UPDATE: The Skills and Employment service has now launched their new prospectus, which outlines what services they provide and includes a selection of the types of learning on offer. Check out the new prospectus.
Skills and Employment Hubs | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Skills and Employment Hubs (previously called Work Zones) are the ‘front door’ to Skills and Employment services. There are Hubs in Chester, Ellesmere Port, Winsford and Northwich, which you can drop into without an appointment. Or if you’d prefer, support is available over the phone or via Microsoft Teams.

Skills and Employment Hubs offer a range of services to support you in identifying and developing your job hunting and employability skills.

It is free to register for Hub support in person (at one of our Skills and Employment Hubs), by telephone or by email. There is no charge for courses if you are unemployed and/or receiving means-tested benefits. You must be aged 19 or above to access this support.

Some examples of the help on offer:

• Personal skills analysis and action planning.
• Confidence building courses.
• Qualifications to prepare for employment.
• Refresh your English, maths and IT skills with opportunities to gain qualifications.
• Free access to computers for job searching and applications.

Location and contact information for your nearest Hub, plus information about what training is available during May can be found using the link below.

The page also includes information about employment support for adults with physical and mental health conditions and details about the Supported Employment Service for adults with learning disabilities and/or autism. Plus, what support is available if you’ve been made redundant or are at risk of redundancy, and more…

Skills and Employment Hubs | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Quitting smoking is the best thing you can do for your health, and it can save you money too. In Cheshire West and Chester fewer people smoke than ever before (10.5 per cent, which is approximately 30,899 people) but, sadly, smoking remains the leading cause of preventable ill-health and early death.

Every quit begins with a serious quit attempt and evidence shows that it can take several attempts before you are successful.

Getting support really boosts your chances of quitting – smokers are up to three times as likely to succeed.

Cheshire West and Chester Council offers a universal stop smoking, free service operated by Brio which supports anyone over the age of 12 living or registered with a GP in the borough to quit smoking.

To find out more you can call 0300 777 0033 or visit Brio’s smoking cessation page.

Smoking cessation