Questions & answers
What support is available in Cheshire West?
You can find lots of support on our Cost of living support page, including the funding you might be eligible for and guidance with debt, mental health, and more.
Visit Cheshire West and Chester's cost of living support page
To search for a variety of services in your local area, visit Live Well Cheshire West.
Questions about financial support
- To find out more and apply for the Household Support Fund, visit our webpage Household Support Fund | Cheshire West and Chester Council.
- To see what support is available nationally, visit the government’s Help for Households page: Help for Households - Get government cost of living support
- For impartial advice on benefits and managing debts, you can visit the Citizens Advice website.
- You can find advice on how to make ends meet using this interactive quiz: Cheshire West & Chester - Worrying about Money?
I’m struggling to pay my bills, where can I get help?
There is lots of support available nationally and locally.
Where can I get support if I have exceptional needs or require emergency funding?
The Help in Emergencies for Local People (HELP) scheme offers local welfare assistance to residents of Cheshire West who are leaving care, experiencing an emergency, or classified as ‘vulnerable.’ To find out more and apply for the HELP fund, visit our HELP webpage.
Help in Emergencies for Local People (HELP) | Cheshire West and Chester Council
How do I check if I’m getting the benefits I’m entitled to?
You can use an entitlement calculator to find out if you are missing out on benefits that you could be claiming: Try the turn2us benefits calculator
Do I need to be receiving benefits to apply for the Household Support Fund?
No, you do no have to be getting benefits to receive help from the Household Support Fund.
If I apply for the Household Support Fund, will it affect my benefits?
No, if you apply for the Household Support Fund, it will not affect your benefits. Visit our webpage to read more and apply: Household Support Fund | CWaC.
- The Help in Emergencies for Local People (HELP) scheme
- Cheshire West Citizens Advice – call 0344 576 6111
- The national Citizens Advice Help Through Hardship phoneline – 0808 208 2138
- Health visitors
- Children's centres and some schools
- Winsford Community Grocer
- Lache Larder
- Blacon Beacon
Where can I go to get free or affordable food?
If you are struggling to provide food for yourself or your family, you may be able to get vouchers for a food bank. To find your nearest food bank, visit Live Well Cheshire West and search for food support in your local area. You can be referred for foodbank vouchers by the following organisations:
Another way to get affordable food is through social supermarkets. They offer fresh and affordable produce to local people, and reduce waste from supermarkets. There are multiple social supermarkets across the borough:
If I’m worried about money, how can I look after my mental health?
It's important to take care of yourself even when you are stressed about managing your money. There is lots of information about mental health and wellbeing on a dedicated section of Live Well Cheshire West: Mental health, physical health and wellbeing | Live Well Cheshire West.
For more information on how to look after your physical and mental health, read about the Five ways to wellbeing: Five ways to put your wellbeing first
What does ‘lived experience’ mean?
We are committed to listening to those who have experienced financial hardship to shape the work that we do to help residents. We have a dedicated group of volunteers called the Community Inspirers who all have lived experience of poverty. We meet with them regularly and they have been very involved in shaping our work around poverty, including this platform.