The rising cost of living is causing a strain on many people and we know that things are likely to get worse before they get better.

Inflation is set to increase to the highest level we have seen in years and the energy regulator Ofgem warned this week that the typical energy bill is set to rise by £800 a year in October.

The Government is due to announce details on further support, but it’s important that families are aware of the existing help available, which could make a real difference to their lives in these difficult times.

Today we have teamed up with Citizens Advice Swindon and Crosslight Advice to help residents access the help and support they may be entitled to.

We know that nationally, a staggering £15bn in benefits are unclaimed every year. In fact, some 1.3m families do not take up the offer of up to £2,000 a year in childcare costs.

A third of eligible households who could take advantage of Pension Credit, worth an average of £1,900 a year, are not applying for this funding.

We are encouraging residents to take a few minutes to use one of the online benefits calculators (gov.uk/benefits-calculators) to check if they are entitled to any of the benefits on offer.

It is often easier to talk through problems or issues with someone in person and Citizens Advice Swindon are on hand to offer face-to-face advice at their branch in Sanford House in the town centre or over the phone on 0808 278 7813.

The campaign has pulled together a 16-point checklist for residents to consider to help them tackle the rising cost of living.

Almost one in 10 families in Swindon (9,402) are in fuel poverty, according to recent government figures (2019) and almost 30,000 households received £1.5m worth of support via the Council’s Household Support Fun between October 2021 and March 2022 to help with the cost of heating and food.

Citizens Advice Swindon is also running a short survey to understand the impact of the cost of living increases in Swindon. The survey is available at www.citizensadviceswindon.org.uk and open until 17 June. It will help Citizens Advice to build a realistic picture of how the community is being affected by the sudden rise in everyday costs. It should take no more than five minutes to complete and answers will be anonymous.

We will be continuing our campaign over the coming months to signpost people to the help and support that is available to them. Please keep an eye on our social media channels or encourage friends and family members to do the same if you think they may benefit from some advice or could be entitled to some of the payments on offer.

It is also important that if people are struggling, or they can see difficulties in the future, that they seek advice and support early to ensure their financial problems do not escalate.

Further information on the help available to residents can be found on our website www.swindon.gov.uk/costofliving