Norfolk County Council have announced its cost-of living support offer, helping households in the County mange their costs. Below is a summary of the support that is on offer.
Support for families who receive Free School Meals
The Council will continue to provide cost-of-living vouchers for free school meals eligible children, with those eligible receiving a total of £120 in vouchers per child for the period November 2022 to April 2023.
The vouchers are provided by Edenred, which can be used in all supermarkets for essentials, including clothing.
If you are working with a family who you think may be eligible for free school meals, who are not currently receiving them, please encourage them to speak to their children’s education provider or support them in that conversation where needed.
Children who are home educated and may be entitled to the vouchers can complete the Norfolk Assistance Scheme form and will be supported to access Edenred by NAS.
Click Here for more information about free school meals
Norfolk Assistance Scheme (NAS)
NAS already provides hardship support to Norfolk residents who are struggling with their living costs. The type of support that NAS provides is tailored to the individual needs of each household. It can include food vouchers, help with buying school uniforms and gas or electricity meter pre-payments, purchasing oil and a range of other support as needed.
NCC have also invested in additional advice capacity that NAS can refer to. This means that as well as one-off financial support, people struggling with their finances will find it easier to access debt and welfare advice and support to find longer term solutions.
Click Here to find out more about the support on offer and who can apply
Winter support in general
Anyone can go to www.norfolk.gov.uk/costofliving to find out what support is available and how to access it. Organisations and support workers can also do this on people’s behalf. If people have problems accessing online services, then they can visit their local library or call on 0344 800 8020.
What can I do to help?
If you are working with, or aware of, a family who you think may be eligible for free school meals, who are not currently receiving them, please encourage them to speak to their children’s education provider or support them in that conversation where needed.
Please direct people to the website www.norfolk.gov.uk/costofliving so that they can find the right support for their needs.
If someone needs emergency help with food or fuel, then direct them to the Norfolk Assistance Scheme www.norfolk.gov.uk/NAS or tell them to call 0344 800 8020.
Who can I contact for further information?
- Hardship Support General Information – Natasha Hayes, Head of Communities, Norfolk County Council [email protected]
- Norfolk Assistance Scheme and the support on offer – John Baldwin, Head of Finance Exchequer Services [email protected]
- Free School Meal vouchers and support for families – [email protected] and [email protected]
- Broadland Council’s support offer – [email protected]
- Breckland Council’s support offer – [email protected]
- Great Yarmouth Borough Council’s support offer – Steve Scott-Greenard [email protected] 0808 196 2238
- King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Borough Council’s support offer – [email protected]
- Norwich City Council’s support offer – [email protected]
- South Norfolk Council’s support offer – [email protected]
- North Norfolk District Council’s support offer – [email protected]