Content
- Advice centres
- Benefits
- Council tax support
- Council tenants
- Domestic abuse services
- Energy saving and help with energy costs
- Finding work
- Food
- Housing advice and support
- Housing costs - homeowners
- Housing costs - renting
- Mental health
- Money and debt advice
- Money management
- Older people and carers
- Prescription costs
- Scams
- Sick pay
- Universal Credit
- Utilities
We have set up a single point of contact for vulnerable people to ask for the extra help they may need as a result of the coronavirus outbreak.
In order to get help for yourself or someone you are concerned about you can either:
- Call the Contact Centre on 01865 249 811
- Complete our form
Other essential support is available in the directory below.
Many of the services in this directory will not be offering face to face support but are still providing help by phone, email or online. As the ongoing impact of coronavirus means these services may change, this directory provides links to websites where possible so you can get the most up to date information about what is available.
We are keeping this directory under constant review. If there are essential services you would like to see included please email pressoffice@oxford.gov.uk with ESSENTIAL in the subject line.
Advice centres
Help with issues like claiming benefits, money advice, housing and employment:
- Agnes Smith Advice Centre
- Barton Advice Centre and Oxfordshire Welfare Rights
- Citizens Advice Oxford
- Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre
Benefits
The government has made a number of changes to the benefit and tax credit system as a result of the coronavirus outbreak. These may mean that your benefits have increased or that you are now entitled to benefits you could not claim before.
If you were already claiming benefits before the pandemic your claim has been automatically adjusted to reflect any changes. If you would like to check whether you can now claim benefits you can do this through an advice centre, the Citizens Advice website or the Turn2Us online benefit calculator. Turn2Us includes a checklist of the information you will need to complete your calculation:
Council tax support
If your income has gone down because of coronavirus we may be able to give you support to pay your council tax. For help and to apply online:
Council tenants
If you are a council tenant struggling to pay your rent you can ask for a call back from our incomes team. If you are claiming housing benefit or Universal Credit our welfare reform team may be able to provide temporary financial support to help pay your rent - you can call them on 01865 252755. Our tenancy sustainment team may be able to help in a crisis or link you in with specialist support that will help prevent you from becoming homeless:
- Ask for a call back from our incomes team
- Temporary financial support to help pay your rent
- Ask for help from our tenancy sustainment team
- Other support during the coronavirus outbreak
Council tenants can also get advice on paying and reducing energy bills from our energy advice team:
Domestic abuse services
We are working in a multi-agency group with local domestic abuse services to ensure there is support for those experiencing domestic abuse. Support, refuge and safety planning is available by phone, email or Skype. Help includes:
- Oxfordshire Domestic Abuse Service
- Sanctuary scheme to remain safely in your home
- Childline (for children and young people)
- Call the police on 999 if you think you’re in immediate danger
Energy saving and help with energy costs
Better Housing Better Health is a one stop shop if you would like some advice on lowering your energy bills, accessing financial assistance or switching your provider or tariff. Different energy saving offers may be available for homeowners and tenants:
- Better Housing Better Health
- Energy saving offers for homeowners
- Energy saving offers for private tenants
Council tenants can also get advice on paying and reducing energy bills from our energy advice team:
Advice and support is available for people struggling to top up gas and electricity prepayment meters due to coronavirus:
Finding work
If you need to claim Universal Credit your work coach will discuss the support they are able to give to help you find work. Our welfare reform team offers a range of support that includes helping you into or back into work, and Aspire Oxford and Crisis Skylight Oxford may also be able to help if you are homeless or living in supported accommodation:
Food
If you need help with food or essential supplies, call us on 01865 249811 or fill in our web form.
Other sources of support:
- Community groups providing food support
- Priority supermarket deliveries for clinically extremely vulnerable people
- Free and Low cost food
Housing advice and support
If you are a private tenant you can contact our tenancy relations officer and Shelter provides housing advice online and by phone:
- getting help with tenancy problems in private rented housing
- contact our tenancy relations officer
- Shelter housing advice
- If you are homeless or at risk of homelessness
Connection Support's housing support service can help you avoid eviction and provides support with issues linked to housing like domestic abuse, benefits and finding work. The service can also help if you are moving into independent accommodation. You can call Connection Support on 01865 711267 or complete the Housing Support Oxon referral form on their website:
Housing costs - homeowners
If you are struggling to pay your mortgage because of coronavirus you may be eligible for a payment holiday of up to six months. You should contact your lender for further details. There is advice about mortgage payment holidays on the Money Advice Service website:
Housing costs - renting
If your income has gone down because of coronavirus you may be able to get help with paying your rent as part of your Universal Credit claim or by claiming housing benefit from us. To find out more:
The amount of help you could get depends on your circumstances. If you are renting privately, the government has raised the limit you could get from April 2020, as shown in the table.
Type of accommodation |
Maximum benefit - weekly |
Maximum benefit - monthly |
---|---|---|
Shared accommodation |
£118.87 |
£516.52 |
One bedroom |
£178.36 |
£775.02 |
Two bedrooms |
£210 |
£912.50 |
Three bedrooms |
£235.15 |
£1,100 |
Four or more bedrooms |
£364.77 |
£1,585.01 |
If you are already claiming housing benefit or Universal Credit your claim will be automatically adjusted to reflect the new higher limits.
If your housing benefit or Universal Credit housing payment does not cover your full rent we may be able to give you temporary financial support:
Mental health
The Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Mental Health helpline is available around the clock if you need advice about your mental health. If you are already using mental health services, please call the services in your care plan during office hours. If you are not using a mental health service you should speak to your GP in the first instance. There is information and advice on the Oxford Mental Health Partnership website that includes details on how you can refer yourself to services and support to help you cope with coronavirus:
Money and debt advice
Information and practical help with money management and debt issues:
Money – tips on savings, best deals and other money management help
Older people and carers
Age UK Oxfordshire provides support for older people and this now includes a new telephone helpline with Action for Carers Oxfordshire:
Prescription costs
Most people aged between 18 and 60 must pay for their prescriptions although you may be able to get a free prescription depending on your medical conditions or your personal circumstances:
Scams
To find out more about scams related to coronavirus, see Oxfordshire County Council’s press release. For help:
- Citizens Advice consumer helpline
- ActionFraud
- Age UK (for older people and carers)
- Call the police on 999 if you think you’re in immediate danger
Sick pay
If you cannot work because of coronavirus you may now be eligible for statutory sick pay from day one of your illness, even if you are a gig worker or have a zero hours contract:
Universal Credit
Universal Credit is the main benefit for working age people that combines a number of previous benefits and tax credits into one monthly payment – including help with housing costs. You can claim Universal Credit if you were employed or self-employed and your income has reduced or your job has ended. You will have to claim Universal Credit online. If you need help to do this, contact Citizens Advice’s Help to Claim service:
- More information about Universal Credit
- Claim Universal Credit online
- Help to Claim from Citizens Advice
Utilities
If you need support with paying or reducing your energy bills, call us on 01865 249811 or fill in our web form.
- Ofgem advice on maintaining your energy supply during coronavirus
- Help with prepayment meters
- Help to pay your Thames Water bill
Council tenants can also get advice on paying and reducing energy bills from our energy advice team:
External links
We provide links to external websites. Listing of sites and links to them should not be taken as an endorsement of any kind. We do not accept responsibility for the contents or reliability of linked websites nor do we accept any liability for their accuracy or content. If you come across any external links that do not work, please report them using the 'rate this page' option at the bottom of this page.