We want to raise awareness about the wide range of support available to Salford residents who may be struggling. Services across the council are working to support residents with not only the challenges of energy costs but also the wider cost of living crisis.
A household is classed as being in fuel poverty if, the household’s fuel poverty energy efficiency rating is Band D or below and their disposable income (after housing and fuel costs) is below the poverty line.
Councillor Sharmina August, Lead Member for Inclusive Economy, Anti-Poverty and Equalities:
“Fuel Poverty Awareness Day serves as a powerful reminder of the different challenges faced by our residents. With our comprehensive cost of living support Salford City Council is going beyond addressing immediate concerns and is working with community partners to support the most vulnerable in our society. The work we’ve done so far is a testament to that.
"The winter months can be difficult time with energy costs set to go up, so I would urge all our residents to look at all the support available and use them. If you are unsure about which support you need, don’t wait and contact our dedicated teams in Salford Assist or Welfare Rights and Debt Advice who can support you.”
On this page you will find information on:
If you are struggling to keep on top of the cost of fuel and do not have the funds available to top up a household meter, Salford Assist can provide short term support for an emergency or crises situations. Last year we were able to help over 5,000 residents with these costs.
The application process is simple and can be completed online using the link below.
Apply for help using Salford Assist
If you’d prefer to speak to someone, you can call our helpline on 0800 694 3695, Monday to Friday between 9am and 12pm and 2pm to 4pm.
Following an assessment, successful applicants will receive a remote top up instantly to their smart meters, alternatively Pay Point vouchers can be issued to your mobile device or to a local Gateway center.
The Household Support Fund, provided by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) can support Salford residents impacted by the Cost-of-Living crisis and struggling with the cost of fuel by issuing a one-off grant following a financial assessment. Last year the council supported over 15,000 residents with the cost of fuel.
You can submit your application for support by filling the online form using the link below:
Submit your application for the Household Support Fund
If you’d prefer to speak to someone, you can call our helpline on 0800 011 3998, Monday to Friday between 9am and 12pm and 2pm to 4pm.
Following an assessment, successful applicants can be supported by remote top up, energy vouchers to a mobile device or by Bacs payment directly to an energy supplier.
In addition, we can refer clients on for further longer-term support and work closely with Salford Foundation alongside other organisations who can assist clients with energy efficiency information, assisting in switching energy providers and assess tariffs.
If you’ve been struggling to pay your household bills over some time it may lead to unsustainable levels of debt that can be difficult to manage.
Salford City Council’s specialist Welfare Rights and Debt Advice Service (WRADAS) provides free, independent advice to help Salford residents who are struggling to manage debt repayments. Our qualified debt advisers are able to give expert advice and assistance on the full range of debt options to help work out affordable plans and look at solutions to write off debt. Over the past year we have assisted residents to manage £5.1 million in debt and over £1.2 million has been written off by creditors.
Our specialist Welfare Rights Officers can check if you are receiving the right benefits. In the past 12 months we have helped people gain an extra £6.9 million in income they should have been entitled to by helping with new claims, and challenges to benefit decisions.
We can also help if you are facing eviction or repossession of your home due to arrears.
Contact the Debt advice service
Contact the Welfare rights service
Debt advisers have helped clients with:
You can read some of the stories where the team has successfully helped residents with crucial support that has gone a long way in ensuring their wellbeing.
The high cost of gas and electricity may affect your ability to heat your home. Cold homes can lead to or worsen existing physical health conditions. It can also affect your mental health. Click the links below to learn more about the support available:
Beyond those mentioned above, there are other council services who can support you in different ways to deal with the cost of living crisis.
We’ve pulled together some examples of the support below for you:
Salford Assist is a Salford City Council scheme that can offer short term support to people who are in a crisis, emergency, or any major disaster situation.
If you need help looking for work or employment training, there are a number of local and national resources available to support you on your career path.
There are a range of schemes on offer that you can make use of to help you with childcare and other family costs.
Free internet access is available at all our gateway centres and libraries. Go to our help getting online page.