Christmas is a time to celebrate as well as spend time with family and friends. However, for some, it isn’t as simple as it may seem.
If you’re struggling this Christmas, there are a number of funds and organisations that could help get you through a tough period.
Household Support Fund
The Council has again been awarded funds from the Government’s DWP Household Support Fund to help its most vulnerable communities to March 2026. This is the seventh round of funding and the previous schemes have provided support for free school meals, direct payments, boiler servicing for older people and food bank support. The scheme will continue to fund the Warm Space initiative; organisations involved in this can be found here: www.nelincs.gov.uk/benefits/ household-support-fund/ If you or someone you know is experiencing financial distress, get help and support via ConnectNEL. The fund supports with costs for energy, food and emergency household expenses through vouchers, goods and grants, benefit and debt advice as well as other support. For more information on this and Council Tax, Housing Benefit or Free School Meals visit www.nelincs.gov.uk/benefits
Pension Credit
Pensioners. Have you checked if you can claim pension credit to help support your income? AGE UK North East Lincolnshire can help you check and also help you apply for support. Office appointments are available at both the Grimsby and Cleethorpes offices as well as home visits, where appropriate. Call 01472 344976 to start your journey or visit www.gov.uk/pension-credit. Pension credit is worth, on average, £3,900 a year. Pension Credit also unlocks additional support including help with Council tax, NHS dental care, and for those over 75, a free TV licence.
Check if you’re eligible for the Winter Fuel Allowance, visit Winter Fuel Payment: Check if you need to claim – GOV.UK
Housing Related Support team
If you or someone you know is worried about losing their home, there are people who can help.
Graham, a local man, was supported and we can do the same for others. Graham was drinking to help him cope after being sectioned due to a mental health episode. His life spiralled further after his long-term relationship broke down and he lost his job. Graham was then served an eviction notice after problems with flatmates.
Desperate, he called the North East Lincolnshire Council’s Homeless Team, and officers immediately stepped in. He was referred through the council’s Housing Related Support scheme to one of their seven providers. They helped Graham apply for Universal Credit, and access food banks.
With their support, he went back to learning to improve his reading and writing skills and apply for PIP (Personal Independence Payment). He was also supported to access mental health services to help him with his ongoing struggles. In a new home with money now coming in, Graham said “I began to feel much better, I am drinking less and eating well.”
Housing Related Support is for anyone over 16 who needs help and is willing to work with services to learn new skills and achieve their goals. If you think Housing Related Support could help you, please ring the NELC Home Options Team on 01472 326296 (Option 1).
Home Energy Team
If you need help with heating, insulation, repairs or other home improvement grants, the Home Energy Tam can help.
Every year, damp and mould causes issues for thousands of homes when the colder weather sets in. Enjoy a warmer home this year by visiting https://www.nelincs.gov.uk/homes-and-property/home-energy/.
If you need help, call 01472 326296 (options 5) or email [email protected]
Food Support
Throughout the festive period, families will be eating more than usual, but for some, it isn’t that simple. If you need help with food this Christmas, there are a few different places which may be able to help:
- Nurtrio Meals on Wheels – the team can offer meals on wheels for residents across the borough. For more information, call 01472 322915 or email [email protected]. Meals for Thursday 25 & Friday 26 December 2025 need to be pre-booked by 12pm, 24 December 2025. Meals for Thursday 1 January 2026 need to be pre-booked by 2pm, 31 December 2025.
- YMCA Humber – YMCA on Freeman Street offer a range of food and drink at their Bradbury Café. The café closes from 3pm, Friday, 19 December, and reopens at 9am, Monday, 29 December, for three days and reopens again on Monday, 5 January.
- Rock Foundation – The Rock Foundation offers free food parcels for those on means-tested benefits, no income and a household with children who are in poverty. They can be found on Garibaldi Street, off Freeman Street. For opening hours, contact 01472 488026.
- Generations Church Food Pantry – the Community Church on Wingate Road offers food parcels for Willows residents. For more information, contact [email protected]
- West Marsh Community Centre – Found on Beeson Street, the organisation offers free food packages, predominantly to those living in the West Marsh. Contact 01472 269230 for more information.
- Oasis South Hub Grimsby – The hub will close at 2pm on Tuesday, 23rd December, and reopen on Monday, 5th January. The last food parcels, for Nunsthorpe/South Ward residents or those who are part of the local school community, will be given on Tuesday, 23 December, from the hub.
- CARE– They offer food vouchers and are open Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday from 12-2 for drop ins and Monday Friday for phone calls for help and advice. They will be closed from Tuesday, 23 December, to Friday, 2 January.
- We Are One Foundation –This can be accessed via the rear of The Skills Hub, the car park off Newmarket Street. The food bank will be in operation Tuesday 23 December, 11.30am-2pm and Tuesday, 30 December, 11.30am-2pm. The organisation will reopen fully on Monday 5th January. This service also offers hot meals for the homeless and those in need at The Runner Bean Café, Freeman Street, Grimsby.
- Café Baraka – Free Christmas Eve meal on Wednesday, 24 December, at 8 Osborne Street, Cleethorpes.
- Grimsby Food Kitchen – This can be used by those in need of a free hot meal. They will be open on Sunday, 14 December, at 1.30pm and Sunday, 21 December, at 11am. They can be found at 18 Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby.
- Feed the Community – Operating from St. Christopher’s on Convamore Road, Grimsby. This service offer free food parcels on Monday, 22 December, 11am-2pm, and 11m-2pm on Monday, 29 December. Normal service resumes on Monday, 5 January.
- ECHO – This service, under Cleethorpes Road flyover, offers food parcels which can be ordered and delivered with free hot food and drink. For more information, call 01507 824342 or 07577 568740.
Centre 4
If you’re not sure which direction to turn, or require further help, Centre 4 Community Centre is the perfect place for you to get connected to the help that you need.
Situated on Wootton Road, they offer warm spaces and services to support you with advice and support for a range of issues like food, gas and electric, debt, wellbeing and benefits, not to mention a range of social and exercise activities.
The centre also has a Community Shop offering discounted foods, membership required, but also has a Community Café available to all residents whilst operating as a Warm Space over Winter.
To contact the teams, call 01472 403403 or drop-in at 17a Wootton Road, Grimsby DN33 1HE.
HEY Credit Union
HEY Credit Union is a not-for-profit organisation that helps spread the cost of all things from Christmas presents to school uniform.
They offer loans from £100 upwards and only charge interest on the reducing balance. Repayments can be weekly, fortnightly, 4 weekly or monthly to match your income.
For example, a loan of £250 paid back over 12 months will cost 25.12 per month (total cost £301.44).
They also offer an option to plan ahead for the new year with their Christmas Saver account. Participants can put away £10 a week until November 1st, which accumulates to around £500 if you start saving from early January.
For the full range of services, handy money tips, a benefits checker, budget planner and links to support services, visit https://hullandeycu.co.uk/
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