Advice & Benefits

People across the country are facing increased pressures on their household income due to rising energy costs and food bills. In Worcester, there is a range of help, advice and support available to residents.

Tips and advice on saving energy

A range of advice, tips and support for saving energy in your home is available from Act on Energy, including grants for increasing energy efficiency in your home.

Act On Energy

The government has published energy-saving advice as part of the Help for Households Campaign.

Advice available includes:

• Reducing boiler flow temperature
• Turning down radiators not in use
• Draft-proofing windows and doors

Help for Households website

Are you at risk of losing your home?

If you are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless, the City Council can provide you with high quality advice and assistance to help you to make informed choices about your housing options.

The City Council believes that homelessness can be prevented in the majority, if not all, cases.

Preventing homelessness

Are there more benefits available to you than you realise?

If you pay Council Tax or rent in Worcester, or if you are of State Retirement Pension age, you may qualify for Housing Benefit or Council Tax Support.

Find out more these and other events, and see if your claim can be backdated.

Benefits guidance

Having trouble paying your Council Tax?

Contact the City Council on 03004 560560 immediately to seek help and advice. Even if you're not entitled to any discounts, it might be possible for a special arrangement to be made. Remember - the sooner you discuss your problem, the more easily it can be resolved.

Cost of living payments

The Department for Work and Pensions is making cost of living payments to people who receive Universal Credit or certain other benefits; to pensioners; and to people who receive certain disability benefits.

Cost of living payments

Tax-free childcare

You can get up to £500 every 3 months (up to £2,000 a year) for each of your children to help with the costs of childcare. This goes up to £1,000 every 3 months if a child is disabled (up to £4,000 a year).

Tax-free Childcare

Money Navigator

The Money Navigator tool from Money Helper UK provides free access to money and debt guidance, based on individual circumstances.

There is information on:

• what issues people need to deal with first
• ways of staying on top of bills
• how to find extra support
• where to get extra help

Money Navigator tool

Council grants

Low-income homes can qualify for a Green Homes Grant from the City Council. This can pay for energy efficiency measures such as energy-efficient electric storage heaters, solar panels, insulation and draught proofing.

Green Homes Grant

Household Support Fund

The Household Support Fund, funded by the UK Government, has now ended.

It has been replaced by the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). While the Household Support Fund focused on cost-of-living support, the CRF is aimed at financial crisis support and strengthening long‑term financial resilience.

Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Government has announced the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) to help people facing financial crisis. The CRF is funded by the UK Government and will run for three years until 31 March 2029.

This national programme provides funding to local authorities in England to:

• Support residents who cannot meet essential costs such as food, energy, or household items.
• Strengthen long term financial resilience, helping households increase income, reduce expenses, and manage financial shocks.
• Ensure support is fair, accessible, flexible, and based on individual need.
• Support may include crisis payments such as cash payments, vouchers, essential household items, and access to preventative services. Councils are encouraged to work with local partners to provide joined‑up support.

We are currently developing the local scheme in line with Department for Work and Pensions guidance. This webpage will be updated as soon as more information becomes available.

Worcester City Council will work with Worcestershire County Council, and voluntary and community sector (VCS) partners to deliver support across four key areas:

• Crisis Payments
• Housing Payments
• Resilience Services
• Community Coordination

Crisis Payments

Crisis Payments provide fast financial help to people facing a short‑term emergency.

A crisis occurs when someone cannot meet essential needs due to a sudden financial shock or an unexpected drop in income — for example, an accident, health issue, or household breakdown leaving them unable to afford food, heating, or essential items.

Support may include:

• Cash payments
• Energy vouchers
• Supermarket vouchers
• Essential household goods

All awards are needs‑based and assessed case‑by‑case to ensure support fits each household’s circumstances.

1. Support with the cost of heating oil and LPG

The Government has provided additional funding through the Crisis and Resilience Fund to support low‑income households who rely on heating oil or LPG and are struggling with rising costs. This support is designed to help people in acute need, particularly where there is a risk of losing access to heating or hot water.

If you are facing a heating oil or LPG emergency—for example, you cannot afford an urgent top‑up due to a sudden increase in prices—you may be eligible for help, in line with national guidance. For further information visit the Act on Energy website.

In addition, Worcestershire households on low incomes who are struggling with rising oil or LPG heating costs can access free, confidential advice and support through their local Worcestershire Advice Network (WAN) partner. WAN partners, including Citizens Advice, Age UK and the Disability Information Advice Line, can provide support through the Alternative Fuel – Oil and LPG Home Energy Support scheme.

Find your nearest WAN partner and contact details at: worcestershireadvicenetwork.org.uk

2. Housing Payments

Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments may be available if you receive Housing Benefit and/or Universal Credit and need extra help with:

• Rent
• Rent in advance or rental deposits (where other departments cannot assist)
• One off housing costs such as removal expenses

These payments are usually short term and help residents manage a specific housing related crisis.

Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) Housing Payments

3. Resilience Services

Resilience Services help households improve long‑term financial stability.

Support may include:

• Income maximisation (benefit checks, employment support)
• Debt reduction advice
• Financial capability and budgeting skills

4. Community Coordination

The Worcestershire Crisis and Resilience Fund partnership will work with local organisations including charities, community groups and advice services, to ensure residents can access:

• Advice and advocacy
• Food security
• Connections to specialist organisations
• Wider services that reduce hardship

5. Free school meals

Many children in Worcester have received free meal vouchers throughout the school holidays, from either Worcestershire County Council or Worcester City Council. The City Council is committed to support this initiative, if no other funding is forthcoming.

All students who attend school in Worcester and are registered for the Pupil Premium will qualify for support from this scheme. Any parents who have not received details about claiming their vouchers before the end of term should contact their children's school.

Worcester City Council is extending this offer to people aged 16-18 who are in education. Students should contact their college to claim their voucher.

The City Council is using Household Support Fund money, provided by the Department for Work and Pension, to fund this scheme.

Free school meals

6. Discretionary Welfare Assistance Scheme

This scheme supports vulnerable low-income Worcester households in crisis who need assistance with the cost of food or white goods, carpets and energy-efficiency measures. It has recently been expanded to help single people and couples, as well as families.

Help available can include providing fridge freezers and/or washing machines, carpets, draught excluders, energy-saving lightbulbs and other items to save energy, as well as food and energy vouchers.

You cannot apply directly to this scheme – a supporting agency or organisation must apply on your behalf. This could be a support worker, care worker, health professional, children's centre, local charity, housing or homelessness support service.

Discretionary Welfare Assistance Scheme

7. Supporting local agencies

We are supporting local agencies to provide crucial services to assist local residents facing hardship.

Worcester Citizens' Advice

Worcester Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) will provide advice and guidance supporting local residents and signposting those most in need to services that are available to them.

Worcester Citizens' Advice Bureau website

Worcester Foodbank

Part of a nationwide network of foodbanks, supported by The Trussell Trust, Worcester Foodbank provides food, travel vouchers and essential items such as toiletries and school uniforms to residents who are referred to them. Most of the food is contributed by the public, but current demand means they need to top up donations. 

For more information visit the Worcester Foodbank website or call 0808 2082138 for free.

Worcester Foodbank Website

8. Voluntary Community and Social Enterprise Grants (VCSE)

Worcester City Council will also be offering VCSE Crisis and prevention grants. Which will enable voluntary/ community sector organisations to provide flexible prevention activities, advice, crisis intervention and support, provide food and warm meals, facilitate warm spaces and meaningful activities. Further information on how to apply for this grant will be available soon.

Wider Cost of Living Support

Worcestershire Advice Network (WAN)

Worcestershire Advice Network (WAN) is a partnership of local agencies; Citizens Advice, Age UK and DIAL, that help with everyday problems such as benefits, housing and debt, their advice is free and confidential. They can support you to find national and local cost of living support.

Find your nearest WAN partner and contact details at: worcestershireadvicenetwork.org.uk

They may offer drop-in clinics or attend local events. Visit their ‘Contact Us’ and ‘News and Events’ webpages for more information.

Age UK Worcester and Malvern District

Age UK Worcester and Malvern Hills can distribute cash and vouchers to those most in need. Eligible applicants are people over 66 who are eligible for attendance allowance, who are on a low income (less than £18,000p/a), or who are just above the pension credit criteria.

Find out more on the Age UK website or call 01905 724294.

Age UK

Warm hubs

Libraries, community centres and other locations in Worcester are being opened up as warm hubs in Worcester, to help people to keep warm this winter. People are invited to use these spaces to relax, work, chat and meet. Grab a free hot drink, charge devices and use the Wi-Fi.

Find your nearest warm hub

Face-to-face advice

If you need advice in person, you can call in at the Citizen Advice Bureau in The Hopmarket on Monday and Tuesday, 09:30 - 12:00, and Wednesday 13:00 - 15:00.

Alternatively, call Worcester City Council’s customer services team on 01905 722233, or call in to see them in the Guildhall 9am - 4pm Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday, or 9.30am - 4pm Wednesday.

Other useful contacts and information

Cost of living useful contacts and information

Background

Local Housing Allowance applies to most people in privately rented accommodation who make a new claim for Housing Benefit on or after 7th April 2008. If you are already receiving Housing Benefit on this date these new rules will not apply to you. However. if you move address or stop claiming Housing Benefit for at least one week, we will work out your new claim under the LHA rules.

LHA replaces the old rent referral scheme with a system of Local Housing Allowances based on the area in which the tenant lives and the number of people in the household.

This new scheme will remove the need for the Rent Service to value each individual property and will mean that you can find out how much LHA you could be entitled to before you move into a property.
Every property in the country will be included in a specific Broad Rental Market Area (BRMA) which shows the weekly Local Housing Allowance rates for each area. You can find out which BRMA applies to you.

The Rent Service provides each authority with a set of LHA figures which are to be used. These are weekly figures, and are dependant on the number of bedrooms your family needs, rather than the number of bedrooms you actually have.

LHA uses size criteria for working out the amount of LHA that can be paid. One room is allowed as a bedroom for each of the following occupiers, up to a maximum of 4, with each occupier coming only within the first category which applies to him or her:

• A couple
• A single person aged 16 or more
• Two children of the same sex under the age of 16
• Two children of the same or opposite sex under the age of 10
• Any other child
• Certain overnight carers
• Foster children
• Certain adult children who serve in the armed forces, who continue to live with parents

Local Housing Allowance will be paid to the tenant into a bank account. If you do not have a bank account you will need to a open a new account. Find out about basic bank accounts.

 

There are a few occasions where LHA can be paid to a landlord, these include:

• If you are eight or more weeks behind with your rent
• If we think that you will have difficulty paying your rent
• If we think that you will not pay your rent

We can also consider paying your landlord if you think that you will have difficulty with these arrangements. You will need to contact us to discuss this, or you can download an application form for pdf Direct Payments of Housing Benefit to your Landlord (64 KB) . You will need to provide supporting evidence

Further details about Local Housing Allowance can be found on the DWP website.

Alternatively you can get further information from our Trinity Street House Advice Centre at:

Trinity Street Housing Advice Centre,
Trinity Street,
Worcester, WR1 2PW.

or contact us.

New rules apply for single people who are aged under 35 and rent from a private Landlord.

What will the changes mean?

Single people aged under 35 are only entitled to the Housing Benefit shared accommodation rate. By single people we mean someone who is not living:

• as a couple
• with dependent children

The shared accommodation rate is based on the level of local rents for properties that are not self contained. This usually means that there is a shared

• kitchen
• bathroom
• toilet or
• living room

Who will the changes affect?

These changes will affect you if you:

• rent accommodation from a private Landlord
• already get Housing Benefit, or are going to make a new claim
• are single
• do not normally have children living with you
• are under 35 years old
• live in a self contained property

These changes will not affect you if you:

• rent from a Local Authority or Housing Association
• are aged under 22 and have been in care
• live in supported housing provided by a housing association, registered charity, voluntary organisation or a county council (in England).
• get the severe disability premium in your benefit because you are entitled to the higher or middle rate care component of the Disability Living Allowance.
• need an extra bedroom for a carer who provides you with the overnight care you need but who doesn't normally live with you.
• have spent at least three months in a homeless hostel or hostel specialising in rehabilitating and resettling within the community. To benefit from this exemption you need to have been offered and accepted support services to enable you to be rehabilitated or resettled in the community.
• are managed under active multi-agency management under the Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements.

Shared accommodation rates

You can find your local shared accommodation rates using the links below. You can also compare the shared accommodation rate with the one bedroom rate:

England: Directgov Local Housing Allowance Rates

Scotland: Local Housing Allowance Rates

Wales: Welsh Government - Local Housing Allowance Rates

What should I do now?

You can get more information at Directgov.uk. Directgov provides information on public services in one place including up to date information on the Housing Benefit changes.

Speak to your Local Authority Housing Benefit / Housing Service as soon as possible. They can help you to find out exactly how these changes will affect you and talk to you about what your options may be if you are looking for accommodation.

The Valuation Office Agency (VOA) is an executive agency of HM Revenue & Customs and holds information on Local Housing Allowance, fair rents and Council Tax. Visit their website at https://www.gov.uk/.
Citizens Advice provides a wide range of advice. To find your local Citizen Advice Bureau, look in the phone book or Yellow Pages, or visit their website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

From 1 April 2011 the Government introduced absolute caps so that Local Housing Allowance weekly rates in any area cannot exceed:

• £250 for a one bedroom property
• £290 for a two bedroom property
• £340 for a three bedroom property
• £400 for a four bedroom property

The caps are most likely to affect people who are renting properties in central London boroughs. If your weekly rent is more than the cap for the Local Housing Allowance rate that applies to you, your Housing benefit will be reduced.

If you are concerned that you may not be able to afford to remain in your home, you can speak to a Housing Options Advisor at Worcester City Council for advice. The Housing Advice Team runs a drop-in service between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday at:

Trinity Street Housing Advice Centre,
Trinity Street,
Worcester, WR1 2PW.

Alternatively, you can call the Housing Advice Team on 01905 722589. To make the most of the assistance the Housing Advice Team is able to offer, it is important to seek advice as early as possible.

 

 

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This section gives information on Council Tax, Housing Benefit & Council Tax Support, customer services, burials and cremations, bus passes and Blue Badges for parking.

We monitor benefit claims and any suspicious circumstances or information. If you suspect someone is committing Housing Benefit or Council Tax fraud, then report it now so that we can investigate.

Housing Benefit fraud

Housing Benefit fraud is dealt with by the Department for Work and Pensions

• By telephone: contact the National Benefit Fraud Hotline on 0800 854 440
  Your call is free and confidential, you do not have to provide your name or address. Lines are open Monday to Friday 8.00am to 6.00pm
  If you have speech or hearing problems you can use a text phone service on 0800 328 0512 or Welsh speakers can call on 0800 678 3722
• Online: Report Benefit Fraud on GOV.UK(opens in a new window)
• By post: NBFH, PO Box 224, Preston, PR1 1GP

Council Tax Support fraud

Council Tax Support fraud is dealt with by your Local Council

• By email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• By post: Council Tax Support Investigations Team, South Worcestershire Revenues and Benefits Shared Services, PO Box 11, Pershore, Worcestershire, WR10 1PU

You do not have to give your name or address when you contact us. The information you provide would be treated in the strictest confidence.

Types of fraud

• Receiving benefit on the basis of being in receipt of Job Seekers Allowance/Income Support and you are in fact working
• Failure to declare all income, savings/capital or the ownership of another property/land elsewhere, knowing the non-declaration will increase the amount of benefit you are awarded
• Not declaring the presence of a partner who is working, knowing this would affect your entitlement amount
• Failure to declare the presence of other adults in the property in order to preserve or increase entitlement to benefit
• If you own a property and are falsely claiming that you pay rent for the property, inventing a landlord, providing false rent books and tenancy agreements
• Failure to declare that you have moved, however, you continue to accept payments of Housing Benefit for the new address
• Claiming benefits for an address that you do not live at
• If you are a landlord who continues to receive Housing Benefit on behalf of a tenant that you are aware no longer lives at the premises. This might be where the landlord has access to more than one property, there is the potential to move tenants around without informing the Local Authority.

Information you'll be asked to provide

Provide as much detail as you can about the person you are reporting:

• The person's full name
• The person's address and/or the address at which fraud is suspected
• Details of anyone else involved
• The type of fraud you think the person is committing and why you suspect fraud
• If you suspect the person of working, give the employers name, start and finish times, car registration and any other details known