Inspiring change together

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

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

If you’re over state pension age or you know someone aged 66 or over, you may be able to claim pension credit and also likely qualify for the warm home allowance.

Pension Credit tops up weekly income to a guaranteed minimum level of £227.10 a week for single pensioners or £346.60 for couples.

It is a tax-free payment for those who:

• have reached Pension Credit qualifying age, which is State Pension age, and
• live in Great Britain.

Someone may still get Pension Credit if they:

• have not paid National Insurance contributions
• have some savings or a small pension
• live with their grown-up family
• own their own home.

You can use the Pension Credit calculator to find out how much Pension Credit you could get – without giving any personal details.

This video from the Department for Work and Pensions shows you how to use the Pension Credit eligibility calculator.

How to use the Pension Credit Eligibility Calculator - YouTube

Free wellbeing coaching is available for residents of Cheshire West and Chester who are looking for help to reset their drinking or drug use.

The Re-new programme is a six-week course of private one-to-one sessions where people can explore their relationship with alcohol or drugs and how to break the cycle.

During the sessions, individuals can work through how to build healthy habits, manage strong emotions, boost their self-confidence or manage daily stresses like family or relationships.

They can also explore what motivates them and how to support their physical and mental health.

Aaron, 22, (not his real name) took part in Re-new as he felt he needed support to reduce his drinking. He said:

“I was using alcohol as a coping mechanism when I felt low. Without Re-new I think this would have continued and I’d have become alcohol dependent.

Now I’ve learned to drink in a controlled way when I’m out with friends and, even then, I only drink if I feel I want to. I feel like alcohol does not have any control over my life anymore, it’s no longer consuming my thoughts.”

Cllr Lisa Denson, the Council’s Cabinet Member for A Fairer Future (Poverty, Public Health and Mental Health), said:

“This is a great new programme for people who are worried that they are drinking a bit too much or have a growing problem with drugs. It’s there to help people to curb their habits if they feel they’re getting a little out of control – it’s a rethink and a reset, providing people with the coping strategies they might need to cut down.

“As a Council we’re proud to support this programme as part of our work to help our residents flourish, be healthy and happy and to build a stronger future for our borough.”

Re-new is not a service for dependent drinkers or drug users, instead it provides early intervention for people who are concerned about their increasing level of alcohol or drug use.

The programme includes an hour-long wellbeing coaching session, once a week for six weeks.

These take place in private with a wellbeing coach who will listen and offer friendly and supportive advice and guidance.

Sessions can take place in person, at a venue to suit the individual, or online, and appointments are available during daytime, evenings or weekends.

The Re-new programme is open, for free, to any Cheshire West and Chester resident aged 18 or over.

To find out more and sign up visit:

Re-new Cheshire

Residents can also sign up by texting: RENEWCHESHIRE to 82228, calling: 0300 303 2717 or emailing: renewcheshire@viaorg.uk.

Re-new has been launched by Via, the substance misuse service commissioned by Cheshire West and Chester Council to help people cope with their alcohol or drug issues.

The Council and Via are members of the Cheshire West and Chester Combatting Drugs Partnership, which brings together resources, expertise and experiences from a number of partners to tackle substance misuse.

It is part of a national 10-year drug strategy, ‘From harm to hope’, which is a roadmap for tackling drug and alcohol related issues in society.

If you’re looking for something to do this February half term with the family, then take a look at the Council’s web page packed full of low-cost or free events for everyone to enjoy.

Events and activities are happening daily throughout the week and there's plenty of choice of things to do - from interactive performances, football camp, bird trails, pool parties and much more.


School holiday activities | Cheshire West and Chester Council

Information for activities and events have been provided by our partners. Therefore, we advise that you contact the event organiser for the most up to date information.

Welcoming Spaces continue to be available to all residents of Cheshire West.

Expect a warm welcome when visiting one of many Welcoming Spaces across the borough. They offer a safe space where people can connect with others in their community and make new friends.

The network of Welcoming Spaces includes Council libraries, churches, community centres and more.

It’s important that during the colder months, everyone has a warm place to go, particularly if you’re struggling with the rising cost of energy bills.

Welcoming Spaces are for everyone. They are also there for people who may be feeling alone or isolated, and who fancy a change of scenery from their own home. It’s a great opportunity to meet others in your community for a nice friendly chat over a cup of tea or coffee.

Find your nearest Welcoming Space

Mindful Mondays – spend time with animals and have a cuppa!

If you love to be around animals, why not drop by Higher Farm, Byley on a Monday from 2.30pm until 4pm. There will be the opportunity to learn some mindfulness exercises or just chill around the animals. Then it’s off to the café for a cuppa.
This activity is free of charge.

Location: Higher Farm Café, Higher Farm, Byley, Middlewich CW10 9LN

For enquiries: contact lisa@higherfarmwellbeing.uk Tel: 07879 394390

Are you missing out on benefits that you are entitled to? Try out the Council’s benefits calculator which can tell you if you’re potentially entitled to claim extra money. There are more than 80 different welfare benefits available to support people in different circumstances and situations.

Before using the calculator, you’ll need accurate information about your:

• savings
• income, including your partner’s (from payslips, for example)
• existing benefits and pensions (including anyone living with you)
• outgoings (such as rent, mortgage, childcare payments)
• Council Tax bill.

By answering a few simple questions, you will quickly find out if you’re eligible for any benefits. Your answers are provided anonymously.

The calculator also provides useful information in relation to your answers e.g. if you say you’re struggling to pay your energy bills, you will be asked who your supplier is. The calculator will then provide you with information relevant to that supplier so that you’re able to consider social tariffs that are available. Social tariffs are designed to help low-income households pay for their energy bills.

Benefits calculator