Advice and support with money
On this page you can:
- book an appointment with us to receive financial help
- find out about the household support fund
- find out what support central government can offer
- find out what Council Tax and benefits support we can offer
- find out about Cambridgeshire's Local Assistance Scheme
See what support is available to help with the cost of living on the Help for Households government page.
Book an appointment for help
If you want to talk to someone who can help make sure you’re getting all the help that you need, then book an appointment with us.
We can help you budget, signpost you to help and refer you to grants. You can do this by completing our support form:
Apply for a financial support referral
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund (HSF) provides £110 to help people experiencing immediate financial hardship to pay for food and household energy bills. You can apply for the HSF by contacting duty.communities@scambs.gov.uk. Please send us your full name, address and contact number and someone will call your back.
You are eligible to receive support if:
- You live in Cambridgeshire
- You have £16,000 or less in money, savings, and investments
- You have income levels less than identified in the tables below
The figures are before any tax due, though you should include all sources of income (benefits, pensions, investments etc).
|
Gross annual income |
No children |
1 child |
2 children |
3 or more children |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Single adult |
£24,876 | £30,465 | £37,377 | £48,735 |
|
Couple/joint application |
£34,494 | £36,123 | £42,418 | £54,572 |
Central government help
Find out about the different government schemes that are available to help with the cost of living.
To help you to sort your bills/payments into the right order and advise on what you need to do if you’re struggling to pay (before you miss a payment) you can use the Government bill prioritiser tool.
You can visit the government’s website for help living on a low income which is called MoneyHelper.
The government have a Money Navigator Tool, that will help you work out what issues to deal with first and ways of staying on top of your bills.
You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan if you have been on certain benefits for 6 months. You will have to pay back the amount you borrow (repayments are taken automatically from your benefits).
Childcare support
Information on tax-free childcare, Child Benefit and a one-off payment of £500 to help with maternity costs is available on the Government’s childcare webpage.
Council Tax and Benefits support
If you’re on a low income and struggling to meet Council Tax payments, you may be eligible for Council Tax support.
Our benefits calculator will help you check if you’re entitled to Housing Benefit and Council Tax support.
If you’re already claiming certain benefits, you may be entitled to a Discretionary Housing Payment.
Cambridgeshire's Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS)
Cambridgeshire's Local Assistance Scheme (CLAS) gives information, advice, and practical support if you’re facing extreme pressure or money problems.
An assessment will be carried out to see if you could be eligible for a CLAS award. The award can be in the form of:
- supermarket vouchers
- energy vouchers
- new white goods
- decorating packs
- beds
- mattresses
- recycled white goods and furniture
You can apply by having an appointment with Cambridge Citizens Advice.
For more information, please visit the Cambridgeshire’s Local Assistance Scheme.