News Support for rising cost of living from MBC
Help is available for anyone who may be struggling with the rising cost of living.
With the energy price cap due to rise on 1 October Maidstone Borough Council (MBC) is working with local organisations and holding a series of Cost of Living Support events to help people worried about paying their household bills; these will take place from Monday 3–Saturday 8 October in The Mall Shopping Centre where people can talk to experts to get advice, information and help they need.
The price of food, utilities, heating, fuel and paying their bills are just a few of the things that people are telling the Council they are really worried about.
To help, MBC’s Council Tax, Benefits, Housing and Homelessness Prevention Teams will be joined by partner organisations including Citizen Advice Bureau, Maidstone Mind, Princess Project, Fusion Healthy Living Centre, Involve, Golding Homes, KCC Healthy Start and Free School Meals to let people know about funding and support that is available. They will also be able to provide details on the Warm Home Discount Scheme, provide information about Universal Credit, support with Council Tax payments, healthy eating, wellbeing and offer household bill payment support, money saving tips as well as debt advice.
MBC Lead Cabinet Member for Communities and Public Engagement – Cllr Lottie Parfitt Reid said:
We are hearing on a regular basis from our residents how worried they are about the rapidly rising cost of living and the impact the impending energy cap will have on them. Many are really concerned about how they are going to cope and pay their bills.These Cost of Living Support events are being held to help as many people as possible. Working with our partner organisations we will be able to advise people on what support is available to them – that they may not be aware of, to help them cope. This is a great example of the Council services working together with various organisations for our residents and I would encourage anyone who is worried about the cost of living to come and talk to the team at these events. Please remember you are not on your own – we are here to help.
The MBC Cost of Living Support events will be located in The Mall Maidstone on the middle level near Iceland between 10.30am and 2.30pm Monday-Saturday from 3 to 8 October 2022.
All the advice the Council and partner organisations are offering is free, impartial and confidential; it is tailored to help each individual situation.
For more information or support Maidstone residents can email: roadshows@maidstone.gov.uk