This page aims to support residents who have seen a drop in their income due to coronavirus and needs help. If there is not the information you need here or you need additional advice please contact:
- http://www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call their advice line 03444 111 444 or the national Citizens Advice line on 0800 144 8444.
- If you are a business please go our the business advice pages to see how the Government can help you.
Financial Support
Wherever you live, you may be able to get financial help:
- financial support packages for businesses
- financial support for closed businesses as a result of tiering restrictions
- claim for employee wages through Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme
- check if you can claim a grant through the Self-Employment Income Support Scheme
- financial support if you’re off work because of coronavirus
- Information on what it means if you are being furloughed if you can’t work – The Citizens Advice Bureau has information if you have been furloughed or if you want to ask to be furloughed. Click here for their website.
- Checking whether you can Claim or Increase Universal Credit – Universal Credit is there for people who are struggling struggling to pay the bills; if you’ve lost your job and have no income; you have a disability or illness that stops you working; you have expensive childcare costs; you’re caring for someone. Please click on the below links:
- Those already claiming
- All private renters who are new Universal Credit claimants, or have an existing Universal Credit claim that includes a housing element, and to existing Housing Benefit claimants.
- If you cannot work due to the coronavirus and eligible for sick pay
- The Government’s Benefits calculator to see what yo may be entitled to
- Do you need help with your benefits? The Welfare Benefits Project provides confidential and impartial benefits advice for people registered with a GP in Rother and other areas. Call 0333 344 0681 between 9-5 Monday to Friday or email benefitseastsussex@harcuk.com to speak to expert, trained benefit advisors who can answer your queries on the full range of benefits for:
- Families
- older people
- carers
- people out of work
- people on low incomes
- people who are ill or disabled
- younger people.
- Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP) – This scheme is designed to help people who need additional financial support with their housing costs. It is extra money that the Council can pay on top of the claimants normal Housing Benefit (HB) if it considers that extra help is required. Click here for more information.
- Mortgage Holidays – Advice on how to apply for a three-month mortgage payment holiday
- Private Renters – Ban on evictions and additional protection for renters
- Council Tax Reduction – You can apply for Council Tax Reduction to reduce the amount of Council Tax you are required to pay. The most a working age customer could be entitled to is a discount of 80%, the discount you are entitled to is based on your household income.
- Exceptional Hardship Scheme – Rother District Council has a scheme available to those applicants most in need. The fund is intended to help in cases of extreme financial hardship only. To claim for support click here.
- Rother Rural Trust – Set up to help individuals and organisations in need in the rural parishes of Rother, excluding Battle and Rye. They are supporting those they can during this time. To apply write to the Clerk to the Trustees stating where you live and giving the reasons why you are asking for a grant and saying what amount you need (usually up to £250). Rother Rural Trust c/o Town Hall Bexhill on Sea East Sussex TN39 3JX Telephone: 01580 881309 Email: stephenhardy1948@gmail.com.
- Southern Water – Extra support for customers during Covid-19 – They’ve increased the support to people in vulnerable circumstances including:
- Three-month payment breaks for any customer impacted by the virus
- Automatic renewal of support tariffs so customers don’t need to worry about reapplying
- Accepting referrals to our priority services register from trusted third-parties, such as councils, emergency services, Citizens Advice, and family members
- Registering for support the best way to contact us is: email to payless@southernwater.co.uk or their website at www.southernwater.co.uk/account/help-paying-your-bill or www.southernwater.co.uk/account/extra-help-and-support
Westfield Parish Council 