Crisis support

High demand for local welfare provision and crisis support applications

We are currently experiencing a high demand for local welfare provision and crisis applications.

We are working through these applications in date and time order and aim to contact applicants as soon as possible. We appreciate the nature of applications mean these are time sensitive and we are doing our best to speak to people as soon as we can.

If your application is for household items like white goods etc, the processing time for these applications is 30 days.

We apologise but due to the volume of applications we are receiving at this moment, there may be some delay.

We will contact applications by telephone or email as soon as possible.

If it has been over 2 working days since you made your application and you have not been contacted, please contact us.

Please note: Our working days are Monday to Friday.

Bank holiday opening times

The Crisis Support Service will be closed on Good Friday and Easter Monday.

The service will close at 5pm on Thursday 6 April and will reopen at 8.30am on Tuesday 11 April.

We will try to process applications received before the service closes, but we cannot guarantee this due to high demand.

Contents

  1. Help with food, gas and electricity
  2. Household Support Fund
  3. Community Care (household goods, furniture or carpets)

Help with food, gas and electricity

If you have a financial crisis or are under exceptional financial pressure, you can apply short term financial help. This can help to pay for:

  • Food
  • Gas
  • Electricity

Applications will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

You will need to provide details of your circumstance, explaining what has led to the situation, as well as proof of your circumstances.

Requested proofs may include (list is not exhaustive):

  • 30 to 60 days bank statement
  • proof of ID
  • proof of tenancy agreement
  • receipts

How to apply:

  • Apply for crisis expenses online
  • Or, at your local Library
  • If you are having difficulty applying online, please call South Tyneside Homes on 0300 123 6633 (Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm)

Household Support Fund

The Department for Work and Pensions has provided extra funding from 1 October 2022 to 31 March 2023.

This funding is to help towards:

  • energy costs
  • water bills
  • food
  • other essential costs

For more information about eligibility and how to apply, see Household Support Fund.

Community Care (Household goods, furniture, carpets or removals)

Community Care aims to help applicants needing to access unaffordable household goods, furniture, carpets or removals.

You will need to provide details of your circumstance, explaining why you are unable to afford the items / services, as well as proof of your circumstances.

See the list of requested proof.

Applicants showing they are experiencing exceptional pressure will be able to access this service:

  • Apply for Community Care online
  • Or, at your local Library
  • If you are having difficulty applying online please call South Tyneside Homes on 0300 123 6633 (Monday to Thursday, 9am to 5pm and Friday, 9am to 4.30pm)