Street Support Chelmsford
Money Help Services
Cost of Living Advice
For advice and guidance on what to do if you're struggling with the increased cost of living, click here.
Warm Spaces
- Free and low-cost local places to keep warm this winter
- Find out more in this welcoming spaces document
Advice Services
Citizens Advice
- Call on 0800 1448848
- Advice with benefits.
- Advice with debt and money.
Peabody
- Call on: 0800 2888883
- Website: https://www.peabody.org.uk/
Central Law CIC
- Tel: 01245 951300
- Website: https://centrallawcic.co.uk/
- Group for housing law advice.
Help claiming Universal Credit
- Call: 0800 144 8444.
- Website: https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/how-to-claim.
Turn2us
- Tel: 0808 802 2000.
- Website: https://www.turn2us.org.uk/Get-Support.
Home Group
- Tel: 0345 141663.
- Website: https://www.homegroup.org.uk/manage-my-home/.
Welfare
Chelmsford County Council ESF Welfare
- Help with paying bills customer support centre 01245 606606.
- Drop in for emergencies: Civic Centre, Duke Street, Chelmsford, Essex, CM1 1JE
- Website: https://www.billhelp.uk/grants-help-paying-bills/.
Essential Living Fund
If you meet the eligibility criteria, live in Essex and are over 16 and find yourself in need of help, the Essential living fund can help pay for heating, electricity, water and food. There is also help to get essential items like a fridge, cooker or washing machine.
To apply: https://www.southend.gov.uk/extra-financial-help/essential-living-fund.
Essex Welfare Service
- Tel: 0300 3039988.
- Website: https://www.essexwellbeingservice.co.uk/.
Pension age benefits and help
Age UK
Advice for Tenants and budgeting
Chelmsford County Council
Peabody
Citizens Advice
Community Money Advice Centres (debt)
CAP Debt help centre in partnership with Danbury Mission Church
- Call via the national CAP number: 0800 3280006.
- Website: https://capuk.org/contact-us.
Step Change Debt Charity (national)
Multiple ways get to get in touch but if telephoning, then see the information needed to have ready before calling.
- Website: https://www.stepchange.org.
National Debt Line (national)
Multiple ways get to get in touch but if telephoning, then see the information needed to have ready before calling.
- Website: https://www.nationaldebtline.org.
If you are a victim of a Loan Shark (illegal money lender)
Illegal Money Lending Team (National)
- Tel: 0300 555222(24/7).
- Website: https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/who-we-are/#:~:text=We%20have%20a%20100%25%20safe,in%20the%20strictest%20of%20confidence.
- Training and awareness sessions are available also for staff and community groups
Affordable warmth /energy
Peabody
Citizens Advice
- Tel: 0800 1448848.
- Advice on energy.
Chelmsford County Council
Financial Capability and Learning About Money – Websites
Drop-in and Other Help
Ideas Hub Chelmsford
- offers 3 x free legal sessions on Mondays 10am-1pm
- at The Art Place, Meadows Shopping centre, Chelmsford CM2 6FD
To book call: 07964 805397 - Debora Aloba from Affordable Law (does not cover criminal or immigration, can prepare clients for court and accompanies on occasion).
Peabody offer a ‘drop-in’ service, people can attend and get free advice. The timetable is as follows:
Peabody Essex Outreach
- Tel: 0800 288 8883.
- Email: efsco-ordinator@peabody.org.uk.
- Website: https://www.peabody.org.uk/cs-services/outreach.
Baby Basics
- Part of the community activities from: Moulsham Lodge Methodist Church, Lime Walk, Chelmsford, CM2 9NJ
- Tel: 07895 904594
- Email: babybasicschelmsford@gmail.com
- https://baby-basics.org.uk/
- Offers help and support to new mothers or families who are struggling to meet the finacial and practical burden of looking after a new baby. Clothing bank, baby equipment etc, see a list here: https://baby-basics.org.uk/how-to-get-involved/giving-supplies/
Growbaby Chelmsford
- 199 – 200 Moulsham Street, Chelmsford, CM2 0LG
- Opening hours: 10am – 12.00 (Saturday monthly) 10am – 1pm (Wednesday weekly)
- Tel: 07564 982595
- Email: growbaby@chelmsfordvineyard.org
- https://www.growbaby.org/directory/growbaby-chelmsford
SVP Springfield (st Vincent De Paul)
- Beardsley Drive, Springfield, Chelmsford, CM1 6GQ
- Tel: 03300436474 email: furniturespringfield@svp.org.uk.
- Website: https://www.svp.org.uk/?fbclid=IwAR2c_FZHufK7_9XzT5SmCb1DPmZfnn58QCvMDtBTD5Ht6RH0U3Dzz0sisQE.
White goods, furniture (including beds), kitchen equipment etc. List here:
Lighthouse Furniture Project LTD
- 25/27 Tallon Road, Brentwood, Essex, CM13 1TE
- Tel: 01277 222050
- Email: admin@lighthousefurniture.org
- Website: http://www.lighthousefurniture.org/
- Opening hours: Monday: 9.30am – 4.30pm | Tuesday – Friday: 9.00am – 4.30pm | Saturday: 9.00am- 12.30pm
- (Telephone is not manned at the weekend) Offer discounted furniture, white goods and household products (including electrical items, kitchen ware and bedding). Some items may be free of charge depending on circumstance.
Little Edi Foundation:
- 585 Galleywood Road, Chelmsford Essex, CM2 8BS
- Tel: 07859 815929
- Email: littleedifoundation@gmail.com
- Creates development opportunities for disadvantaged young people from local areas this may include giving aid including fresh food, toys, school equipment and uniform, volunteering and organising events for the younger children and have a summer scheme.
St Francis Community Pop-up Food Store
- Tuesday 2.00pm – 4.00pm at St Andrews Church Hall, Chignal Road, Melbourne, Chelmsford, CM1 2JB
- Thursday 12.30pm – 2.00pm at Ford End Village Hall, Main Road, Ford End, Chelmsford, CM3 1LQ (every other week – 8th February 2024, 22nd February 2024, 7th March 2024).
A Helping hand with your weekly shop.
First visit, you pay a one-off £10.00 membership fee, you will receive a special pop-up store bag-for-life and your first shop. Subsequent visits, you bring your pop-up shopping bag to fill with shopping, you pay £5.00 and receive shopping worth £20.00 - £30.00. There is also a welcome space for a cuppa and a chat.