Funding to help north Northamptonshire households with their energy bills and welfare benefit

The local charity, which has received funding via the Household Support Fund from North Northamptonshire Council, will be supporting people in the north of the county who are experiencing significant difficulties when it comes to affording their essential energy costs. This will be done in partnership with Care and Repair Northamptonshire, whose team will carry out home energy assessments and small works to make homes warmer.

A second strand to this funding is enabling Community Law Service, working in partnership with Citizens Advice North Northamptonshire, to employ a welfare benefits expert who will help people in the north of the county with complex benefit cases. This will include providing advice on appeals and supporting people to challenge benefit decisions.

Community Law Service Chief Executive Sarah Hayle explained: “This pot of funding will enable us to focus on supporting families and individuals in need in the north of the county.

“The fuel poverty element of this programme means we will be able to offer advice and warm packs as well as emergency credit where a household has, or is at imminent risk of being self-disconnected. By employing a dedicated expert we will also be able to help with complex benefits cases. Combined, this means we are empowering disadvantaged people and communities and doing all we can to help people access welfare benefits, manage and move out of debt, save energy, stay in and also heat their homes.”

Funding is in place until December 2024, with around 280 households in Corby, Kettering Wellingborough and the surrounding towns and villages set to be supported through this Household Support Fund.

Find out more about this new service and Community Law Service [email protected] or call 01933 313020.

Community Law Service delivers several advice sessions in the north of Northamptonshire, by appointment, including:

· Wellingborough - located alongside Northamptonshire Carers Association at 123 Midland Road, NN8 1LU. Call 01933 313020 to request an appointment

· Rushden - Encompass, 19-21 Church St, NN10 9YU Tuesdays and Thursdays – by appointment

· Kettering - Citizens Advice Bureau, Bowling Green Road, NN15 7QX. Fridays – by appointment

· Corby - Citizens Advice Bureau, The Corby Cube, Parklands Gateway, George Street, NN17 1QG Tuesdays – by appointment

Please note, Community Law Service is a county-wide organisation and supports people across Northamptonshire with housing, welfare benefits, debt, fuel poverty and immigration matters. So, wherever you are based in the county get in touch.

https://www.communitylawservice.org.uk