Category Health and wellbeing Show all
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Looking after your mental health
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National Debt Line: Breathing spaceWorrying about money can make it difficult to prioritise your mental health and wellbeing, but there is support available to help you take care of yourself.
Mental health charity Mind offer lots of guidance to make managing your money easier.
- Put all your letters, bank statements, payslips, bills and in one place so they are easy to find.
- Set a reminder on your phone, at a set time each week or month, to check your bank balance so you know what you’re spending and how much you have left.
- You could set a regular time to think about any tasks you need to do around money, such as paying your bills, and plan a relaxing activity for after you’ve finished.
- If possible, use cash instead of cards. Take out only the amount of money you can afford to spend, for example for a weekly shop.
- Create a budget. Start by making a list of all the essentials you need to spend money on every month, like rent, energy bills, phone bills and food shops. You could try using bank accounts which allow you to put money aside in separate pots.
- If you’re struggling to pay off your debts, get free debt advice from Citizens Advice. You could also ask for a break from paying interest on your debts under a government scheme called breathing space. If you are eligible, you’ll need to speak to a debt advisor to be considered.
Call Citizens Advice Cheshire West on 0808 2787 806.
Mind: Money and mental healthIf you are struggling financially, the stress this causes can make it harder to reach out for help. Mind has some advice on how to manage this anxiety and manage your money.
- Set a time for when you're going to open a bill or letter. You don't have to open them all at once - you can take it step by step.
- Or, you can ask someone you trust to open your letters and bills for you. They can let you know which of them are important.
- You could let your bank know that you have a mental health problem to see if there are any adjustments they can make.
- If you feel uncomfortable talking on the phone, use services which allow you to manage your account online, or let you speak to someone using web chat.
- Make notes beforehand on everything you want to ask about. You could write down all the things you want to say in advance.
- Afterwards, keep a note of everything you talked about. You can also ask the person on the phone to send you a summary.
If you need support, you can contact Mind's helpline.
- Tel: 0300 123 3393
- Email: info@mind.org.uk
If you would like to access face-to-face support, Mind have an office at 1a Dene Drive, Winsford, CW7 1AX. To check opening times and arrange a visit:
- Tel: 01606 863 305
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Live Well Cheshire West
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If you're looking for support in your local area, look no further than Live Well. Live Well Cheshire West is a website produced by the Council, working with the NHS. It can help you find information about local services, support, activities, and events for everyone across a broad range of subjects including social care, health and wellbeing, education, employment, support for carers and much more.
Visit the Live Well page and put in your postcode or area, along with the type of support you are looking for, to find services near you. You can also filter the results by all sorts of different requirements like whether the service can cater to dietary requirements, or whether they are open before or after school times. Live Well offers support to people of all ages, including children and families.
Live Well Cheshire West: Malpas Community KitchenMoney Matters
There is a dedicated Money Matters section which can show you support for bills, budgeting, debt, benefits, and more. For example, if you live in rural Cheshire and are worried about affording hot meals for yourself or your family, you could visit Malpas Community Kitchen on a Wednesday lunchtime and enjoy a hot meal for free, no referral needed.
turn2us: Your Situation A-ZIf you are struggling to pay your bills as the cost of living rises, you may be eligible for benefits that you are not yet claiming. Live Well can direct you to this A-Z list of welfare benefits and grants, made by Turn2Us.
Changing Lives Together: What we doYou might need a new fridge or washing machine but not be able to afford a large sum right now. On Live Well, you can see a whole list of organisations that provide white goods and furniture at affordable prices. Changing Lives Together offer new and reused furniture for low prices, as well as many other services like distributing food that would otherwise have gone to waste, connecting socially isolated members of the community, and providing a community bus service to help residents get around.
Watch this short video which shows you how to find the information you're looking for on Live Well Cheshire West.
If you know anyone who is not online, Live Well can be accessed at any local Cheshire West and Chester Council library. Staff at the library can help people get online and find services to improve their computer skills.
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Save money on your prescriptions
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Did you know that you can pay a set amount per month for as many prescriptions as you need? As long as you live in England, you can sign up for a prescription prepayment certificate (PPC) from the NHS which may make your prescriptions cheaper.
A 3 or 12-month PPC covers all your prescriptions for that period, no matter how many you need. A prescription costs £9.65 per item, but a PPC costs:
- £31.25 for 3 months
- £111.60 for 12 months
This means if you’re going to buy 4 or more prescriptions in 3 months, or 12 or more prescriptions in 12 months, you could save money with a prescription prepayment certificate.
You can pay in 10 monthly instalments if you buy a 12-month prescription prepayment certificate.
How to get a prescription prepayment certificate
You can buy PPCs online or call the order line on 0300 330 1341 and pay by debit card or credit card. Please be aware that there is a charge for the phoneline.
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Five ways to put your wellbeing first
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As the cost of living rises, many people will be worried about managing their money and paying for everything they need. At this stressful time, it is more important than ever to look after your health and wellbeing.
Stress can have a negative impact on your mental health and your physical health. January is an especially difficult month with Christmas festivities long-forgotten and the shine already wearing off New Year's resolutions.
The Council has teamed up with Brio Leisure and Active Cheshire to share information and advice about five ways to lift your mood and improve your wellbeing.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing are:
- Connect - with people around you, including friends, family, colleagues, and neighbours. Good relationships give you a sense of belonging and self-worth, as well as providing emotional support.
- Be active - whether it is going for a run or a walk, gardening, playing a game or dancing around the kitchen, being active can raise your self-esteem, help you to set goals you can achieve and cause chemical changes in your brain that can positively change your mood.
- Take notice - savour the moment and make the effort to be more aware of the world around you and what you are feeling. Mindfulness can help you enjoy life more and understand yourself better.
- Learn - try something new or rediscover an old interest, which will help boost your self-confidence, give you a sense of purpose and help you connect with others.
- Give - do something nice for someone else, volunteer or say thank you. Acts of giving and kindness can create a sense of reward, give you a feeling of purpose and self-worth and help you connect with others.
It is traditional for many people to make New Year's resolutions about losing weight or dropping a bad habit, but if that feels like it's adding pressure on yourself at a time when you already have a lot of worries, then why not look to do something much more positive for yourself.
Whether you decide to learn how to cook a new tea, join a guided walk to be active and connect or give some of your time to volunteer, it is possible to find your own five ways to wellbeing.
The 5 Ways to Wellbeing have been adopted by the NHS and mental health charity Mind following evidence that the steps improve people’s mental health and wellbeing.
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Let's Talk about health and wellbeing
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You can find lots of information and support at three Let's Talk sites. Drop in for a friendly chat about health and wellbeing. The initiative is run by the Council working with a range of community groups.
People's health and wellbeing can be affected by lots of different issues, including housing and financial challenges. At Let's Talk, you can get face to face advice and find out about the wellbeing support available in your local area.
The Let's Talk in Ellesmere Port Market is open every Thursday from 10am to 1pm. Here you will find representatives from adult social care, occupational therapy, ForHousing and Brio leisure, as well as a range of community organisations such as Cheshire West Communities Together, and Cheshire and Warrington Carers Trust.
You can find the Blacon Let's Talk in Matthew Henry Evangelical Church on the 2nd and 4th Friday of every month, from 10am to 12noon.
The Lache Let's Talk is in Lache Community Centre on the 1st, 3rd, and 5th Friday of every month from 11am to 1pm.
Let's Talk in Blacon and Lache join existing community groups centred around food. They offer conversations with people from a range of organisations such as Cheshire West Communities Together, Citizens Advice (for foodbank users), social care, and occupational therapy.
Let's Talk has been set up so that residents can access the help they need through a friendly conversation. Plans are underway to have Let's Talk venues in Northwich, Winsford and rural areas later in the year.