UK Bill Help

Emergency help is provided from the Tameside council as part of the Support for Independent Living scheme. Residents of the borough, age 16 or older, that are facing a crisis and that have no friends or family may be eligible for a cash payment that will be made directly to their supplier. The scheme is also provided as a last resort, so applicants need to have approached the CAB and other not-for profit organisations for assistance first, before applying for this Tameside welfare scheme.

While all applicants need to be on a low income, there may also be funds provided to those individuals that need to resettle. Maybe they are moving out of a hostel or shelter, and they need help in paying the deposit or rent in advance on their new home. So the council may be able to assist by offering referrals in those cases too.

Residents of the borough can use this scheme for some or all of the following bills and expenses. While there may be some emergency cash payments made as part of Support for Independent Living, most of the aid will come in the form of household goods and similar items.

Daily living expenses can be paid by the council. The aid is usually for people faced with a safety crisis, and that can be residents that lack food or funds for heating or fuel bills. For these applicants, if they meet conditions, payments can be made in two days or less. The cash, or a voucher for an items such as a food parcel, will be paid to a Deposit Box at the council offices, and identification and other proof will be required in order to access the funds.

Any cash provided by the Tameside council is at their discretion, and awards do not need to be granted. However, if the council refuses an application, they can provide other advice or support too, such as a voucher for three day supply of free food or referrals to other organisations.

Household items can be provided by the scheme, in particular for those that are unsettled. So this can include the homeless moving into a new home, domestic violence survivors, or maybe people leaving the hospital or ex-offenders. So the aim of the Support for Independent Living scheme when it comes to these individuals is to get them settled into a new home or flat in the borough.

When applying, these applications will take over 10 days for the council to assess and process any awards. The aid is provided in partnership with the Furnishing Service in Manchester, and the items will be delivered to the individual.

Applications can only be made to the Support for Independent Living scheme once every two years. It does not matter what the challenge is, if someone is out of food or homeless, the funds are limited and the aid is not always provided. So only apply in a true crisis. However, there may be one time exceptions made in certain circumstances.

The council will also require many forms of proof and information from families and it will include date of birth of all household members, proof of income, detail on wages and expenses, copies of tenancy agreements and more. So a large amount of personal information will be required in order to receive support.

If an application is refused by the Tameside Council, then other programmes for people to explore include advances from DWP or a budgeting loan. The CAB in Tameside also works closely with the council to provide support to the vulnerable.

Social workers can help people apply for the Support for Independent Living scheme, or residents can stop by the council on Wellington Road. The phone number is 0800 0356348.