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Events
- 21 June-5 July, Merton College: How to Cope with the Cost of Living Crisis
A free, 3-week course on Tuesday mornings covering mental health, heathy eating on a budget, and how to manage our money. - 5 July-19 July, Merton College: How to Cope with the Cost of Living Crisis
A free, 3-week course on Tuesday mornings covering mental health, heathy eating on a budget, and how to manage our money. - 9 July, Morden Library: Cost of living event
General advice for residents and signposting to organisations that can offer support. Residents attending will receive a supermarket voucher. - 16 July, Mitcham Library: Cost of living event
General advice for residents and signposting to organisations that can offer support. Residents attending will receive a supermarket voucher. - 23 July, Wimbledon Library: Cost of living event
General advice for residents and signposting to organisations that can offer support. Residents attending will receive a supermarket voucher.
Local debt, housing and welfare support
Local Welfare Support Scheme - This scheme helps vulnerable households in Merton if they are at risk to their health or safety or need help to re-settle or remain in the borough.
Citizens Advice Merton & Lambeth - Provides information and advice on money and debt, benefits and taxes, housing, universal credit, employment and more. Specialist advice is also available for the disability welfare benefits service and for L&Q Housing residents. Citizens Advice also offers appointments at Wimbledon Guild.
South West London Law Centres - Offers a money advice service, free money webinars and a housing advice helpline for Merton residents, as well as other legal advice. Call the Money Advice Team on 020 8667 9252 or email enquiries@swllc.org
Springfield Advice and Law Centre - Provides specialist advice and legal casework for debt, welfare benefits, housing and community care-related issues, prioritising patients of the South West London Mental Health NHS Trust. Call 020 8767 6884 or email info@springfieldlawcentre.org.uk
deafPLUS - Offers information and advice on benefits, housing, debt and employment for deaf and hard of hearing people, including in BSL. The national deafPLUS Advice Line offers similar support in BSL using online video platforms.
Association for Polish Family PYZA - Provides information, advice and support to Polish and Eastern European communities in Merton, including for Ukrainian arrivals. Is also a member of the Merton Community Fridge Network, redistributing surplus food to residents in need. Call 07917401064 or email info@polishfamily.org.uk
Commonside Community Development Trust - Offers support with applying for benefits, housing advice and for families or adults in need. Is also a member of the Merton Community Fridge Network, redistributing surplus food to residents in need. Call 020 8764 9582 or email Jenny@commonside.net
Age UK Merton - Provides information and advice to Merton residents of stage pension age and over including on benefits, housing, pensions and retirement. Call 020 8648 5792 or email advice@ageukmerton.org.uk
Wimbledon Guild Grants - If you live in Merton and need financial help Wimbledon Guild can offer you a one-off grant to pay for things like food, gas and electricity, replacing essential household appliances or buying school uniforms. If you need help, email welfare@wimbledonguild.co.uk
Local emergency food and fuel
Merton Community Hub – If you need support with paying for bills or shopping, Merton Community Hub can provide a free foodbank voucher or an emergency food parcel.
Merton’s Community Fridge – Redistributes surplus fresh food to those in need. If you would like to receive a free food parcel for yourself or someone else and want to help Sustainable Merton reduce food waste, please visit Morden Baptist Church, Crown Lane, Morden SM4 5BL, on WEDNESDAYS (16.30 - 18.00) and THURSDAYS (13.30 - 15.00) when food parcels will be handed out by your local Fridge Friends. Use the online contact form or email communityfridge@sustainablemerton.org
Wimbledon Foodbank (Trussell Trust Network) - Emergency food support for Merton residents, with foodbanks located in Wimbledon, Mitcham, Morden and Pollards Hill. A voucher is required. Locations and opening times are listed online. Email wimbledonfoodbank@gmail.com
Dons Local Action Group - Provides emergency food parcels to households as well as bulk food deliveries to other food support organisations. Call 0203 301 4511 or email info@donslocalaction.org
Merton Growbaby - Working through Wimbledon Foodbank to support parents with children under 5yrs old with provision of items like milk formula, wipes, nappies and toiletries. Call 0208 544 0126 or email mertongrowbaby@gmail.com
Holiday Activities and Food Clubs (HAF) - HAF clubs will be running in the summer holiday of 2022. The clubs offer activities and nutritious meals for Merton primary and secondary school aged children. These activities are free for children and young people who are eligible for free school meals and for those referred by specialist services.
Local energy saving advice and support
Warm and Well - a partnership between Age UK Merton, Wimbledon Guild, Merton Council and Thinking Works, on hand to provide you with free, confidential advice on transport, benefits, debt and housing support.
Priority Services Register – Your energy supplier can work with you to agree a payment plan for your energy, so contact them as soon as possible to get onto their ‘Priority Services Register’, which is a free support service to help people in vulnerable situations. Each energy supplier and network operator offer it.
Thinking Works –Thinking Works provides Winter Warmth home visiting and telephone advice services. Thinking Works can also see if you are eligible for grants for insulation and heating works. This service is for residents aged 65 or over, or those with a long-term health condition or disability, or those on a low income. Call 0800 118 23 27 to find out more
Sustainable Merton – Access Sustainable Merton’s Energy Saving Handbook, for a wide range of steps you can take to reduce your energy consumption at home and save money. Learn about everything from saving money on your water bill to advice on larger purchases like heat pumps and solar panels.
National and regional funding and debt support
Check benefits and financial support you can get (GOV.UK)
Winter Fuel Payment – A £100 to £300 fuel payment for people born on or before 5 October 1954.
Cold Weather Payment – A £25 payment for every 7 days of very cold weather between November and March.
Warm Home Discount – A £150 discount for some people getting Pension Credit or some people in low-income household.
Energy Company Obligation (ECO) – Check your eligibility for ECO, a funding support mechanism to install energy efficiency upgrades, reduce carbon emissions and address fuel poverty, paid for by energy suppliers. Check your eligibility and find out more on the Simple Energy Advice website or phone 0800 444 202.
Warmer Homes Programme – The Mayor of London’s Warmer Homes programme provides grants of up to £5,500 for heating, insulation and ventilation improvements for low-income Londoners who own their own homes or rent privately.
NHS Healthy Start Scheme - Families who qualify can get vouchers to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables and infant formula milk. Telephone: 0345 607 6823
National Debtline Breathing Space Scheme – A scheme to give households time to receive debt advice and find a solution to sort out their debt problems. Breathing space will last for 60 days as long as applicants remain eligible during which time all creditors who have been included will be informed and must stop any collection or enforcement activity.