Support through the cost-of-living crisis

The cost-of-living crisis has added additional concerns to the lives of many survivors of brain injury and their families. 
We have gathered together some useful links to charities and organisations where you can access information and support.

On this page:

Support services

Headway - the brain injury association

Headway's range of e-booklets and factsheets cover many of the symptoms and practical issues associated with a brain injury.
Click for welfare benefit factsheets

Citizens Advice

Check what extra help you could get if you're struggling with the cost of living - including the Cost-of-Living Payment scheme.
Click for advice and support

Scope

Scope’s helpline provides free, independent, and impartial advice and support on issues that matter to disabled people and their families.
Contact the helpline

Carers UK

On this page, you can find lots of suggestions to help you manage your finances and get support during these challenging times of rising living costs.
Advice, information and support

National Energy Action (NEA)

The national fuel poverty charity, offers a free support service providing advice to householders in England and Wales on their energy bills and keeping warm.
Contact the helpline

MoneySavingExpert

Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, has produced a Cost-of-Living Survival Guide with 90 ways to save money during this crisis.
Read Martin’s full guide

Money Helper

Money and pensions guidance service, provided by the Money and Pension Service, sponsored by Department for Work and Pensions (DWP).
Click for support, helpful tools and calculators

Gov.uk

Guidance on getting an extra payment to help with the cost of living if you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits.
Cost of living guidance

Benefits and debt advice

Turn2Us

Turn2Us can provide advice on benefits and grants you might be able to apply for.
Benefits calculator

Step Change

Step Change can help you with free debt advice online or over the phone.
Free online advice

National Debtline

Supporting you with budgeting, maximizing your income, prioritisation of debts and negotiating with creditors.
Free phone or online advice

Food, housing and heating support

Trussell Trust

Trussell Trust have a network of food banks across the UK.
Find a food bank

Shelter

If you are struggling with a housing issue or facing homelessness, Shelter offers online and over the phone support. 
They can also provide local one to one help and offer free legal advice to those facing eviction or who have lost their homes.
England
Scotland
Wales
Northern Ireland

MoneySavingExpert

In this guide, tips are shared for the cheapest ways to get food.
How to get free or cheap food

In this guide, tips are shared for the cheapest ways to 'heat the human, not the home'.
Heat the human not the home

Energy support in England

This provides a £400 grant that will be paid directly to energy suppliers for households with a domestic electricity meter over six months from October 2022.
Energy Bills Support Scheme

Support in Wales

This has been extended for a year to cover Winter 2022.
Those in receipt of eligible benefits can apply from the 26th September 2022 for a payment of £200.
Winter fuel support scheme

The Warm Home Discount Scheme

This opens in November 2022 and will give a discount of £150 on someone’s electricity bill if their electricity supplier is signed up to the scheme and they meet eligibility criteria.
Warm home discount scheme

Winter Fuel Payment

If you were born on or before 25 September 1956 you could get between £250 and £600 to help you pay your heating bills.
Winter fuel payment

The Cold Weather Payment

You may get a Cold Weather Payment if you’re getting certain benefits or Support for Mortgage Interest.
Cold weather payment

Fuel Bank

Working with the Trussell Trust Foodbank to support anyone using a prepay meter. They provide a fuel voucher that will top up a prepay meter for around two weeks.
You can only get a Fuel Bank voucher if you’re in need of food support. Contact your local foodbank or Citizens Advice to see if the Fuel Bank is available in your area.
Fuel bank

Help from energy suppliers

The Citizen's Advice Bureau

Information about certain benefits, grants and help you may be able to get from the government and energy suppliers.
Click for available support

Ofgem

Ofgem is the Office of Gas and Electricity Markets. Their role is to protect consumers by working to deliver a greener, fairer energy system.
How to get help if you can't afford your energy bills

Help for Households

From 1 October 2022, the Energy Price Guarantee will reduce the unit cost of electricity and gas so that a typical household in Great Britain pays, on average, around £2,500 a year on their energy bill, for the next 2 years. 
*Beware of scams – there is no need to apply, and you will never be asked for bank details.
Government energy price guarantee

Practical issues

Find out more
 

Helpline

The Headway helpline is a free, confidential service available to anyone with a question about brain injury - from survivors and carers to students and professionals.

Find out more