The Cost of Living Crisis - Resources and Information
Cost of Living Crisis
You may have heard “the Cost-of-Living Crisis” being talked about in the news and in day to day life. The Cost-of-Living Crisis is due to the cost of things that people need going up such as food and fuel and the amount people earn not increasing enough to match it.
Resources, Advice and Support Around the Cost of Living Crisis
Benefits and the Cost of Living Payments
Domestic Abuse
The cost of living crisis can have a devastating impact on those in abusive relationships including preventing them from leaving the relationship. Those experiencing Domestic Abuse can experience a type of abuse called Economic Abuse where the perpetrator controls the victims finances and may in some cases restrict access to other essential resources such as food, clothing and transport which in turn can deny a person employment, education etc. Victims may be financially dependent on their abuser due to having limited or no access to money due to limits imposed by the abuser, abusers may use the crisis to justify controlling their access to money.
For more information take a look at the WomensAid website:
The cost of living - Women’s Aid (womensaid.org.uk)
To access support for Domestic Abuse in Sheffield:
- Call the SHEFFIELD helpline on 0808 808 2241 FREE (Monday – Friday 8:00am – 8:00pm, Saturday, Sunday & Bank Holidays 11:00am – 8:00pm)
- Outside of these hours call the National Domestic Violence Helpline on 0808 2000 247 available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- In an emergency call 999.
- IDAS also offer free, confidential, support and advice for anyone who is subject to domestic abuse:
Domestic abuse support - IDAS
For more information on Domestic Abuse take a look at the DACT (Domestic Abuse/Drug and Alcohol Co-ordination Team) Website:
https://sheffielddact.org.uk/domestic-abuse/
For more information on economic abuse including coerced debt, Surviving Economic Abuse has resources to help aid understanding around what is coerced debt? Tackling coerced debt, and other information.
What is economic abuse? - Surviving Economic Abuse
Debt - Surviving Economic Abuse
Foodbanks
The cost of living crisis is leading to more people needing to access foodbanks. For more information about how to access emergency food supplies in Sheffield take a look at this resource from the Sheffield Food Bank Network. In some cases you may need a referral from someone who is already supporting you (such as a GP, Social Worker, or tenancy support worker) to make arrangements on your behalf to access a food bank, some you can contact directly.
Find food support in Sheffield | Sheffield City Council
Mental Health Resources
Struggling with finances can cause stress and anxiety, if you are finding it difficult to cope and your mental health is suffering, there is support out there.
For what to do if you need urgent help take a look at the Sheffield Health and Social Care Foundation Trust Website
SHSC - Urgent Help
For short term therapies available to anyone experiencing stress, anxiety and depression take a look at the Sheffield Talking Therapies website. You can self-refer online or by phone.
How we can help | NHS Sheffield Talking Therapies
Sheffield Flourish has an online mental health guide of mental health support services in Sheffield. You can access it through their website. Just type a keyword e.g. “stress” into the search bar to see a list of support services.
Local support for when you're feeling low | Sheffield Mental Health Guide