Benefits

Applying for benefit

You may be entitled to support if you're no longer working and have no income.

New Style Jobseeker's Allowance (JSA)

If you're actively seeking work and have paid enough class 1 National Insurance contributions, you can claim JSA.

For more information and to make a claim, visit GOV.UK - New Style Jobseeker's Allowance.

New style Employment Support Allowance (ESA)

If you're ill or have a health condition and have paid enough class 1 National Insurance contributions, you can claim ESA. This can be claimed alongside Universal Credit.

For more information and to make a claim, visit GOV.UK - New Style Employment and Support Allowance.

Universal Credit

If you're of working age and need help with your living needs, including rent, you can make a claim for Universal Credit by visiting GOV.UK - How to claim Universal Credit.

An advanced payment will be offered when making a claim for Universal Credit, that needs to be paid back over twelve months. The paying back can be delayed by up to three months if requested. For more information, visit GOV.UK - Universal Credit advances.

Pension Credit

If you and a partner are both of pensionable age, you can make a claim for Pension Credit by visiting GOV.UK - Pension Credit. If you also need help paying your rent or Council Tax, you can claim Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support.

Statutory Sick Pay

Changes have been made to Statutory Sick Pay following the impact of COVID-19. For more information, visit GOV.UK - Statutory Sick Pay.

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

If you need help paying rent, you should claim Universal Credit. You can only claim Housing Benefit if you:

• live in temporary accommodation
• live in supported accommodation
• are of state pension age

For more information and to make a claim, see our Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support page.

Reporting a change of circumstances

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

If you're no longer working or your income or pay has changed, email revs@enfield.gov.uk. Make the subject line your benefit reference number inside pointed brackets, for example, <XXXXXXXX>.

Let us know if:

• your pay has reduced but you're still working, when this happened and how much you now get
• you have stopped working, when this happened and what you and your family are now living on
• you are waiting to see if you will get furlough pay, lay off pay, sick pay or any other payments. Let us know this information now, and again when it is paid.
• you have claimed Universal Credit as you have no income

Universal Credit

If you're no longer working or your income or pay has changed, you should update your Universal Credit online journal to let the DWP know. They will adjust your claim and let us know to award or change your Council Tax Support.

Still struggling to pay rent and Council Tax after changes have been made

Discretionary Housing Payments

If you do get help to pay rent through Housing Benefit or Universal Credit, and still have problems paying rent, you may also qualify for further support through a Discretionary Housing Payment.

If you already get Council Tax Support, this will also act as a claim for Council Tax Support Hardship.

Council Tax Support Hardship payments

If you do get help to pay Council Tax through Council Tax Support, and still have problems paying Council Tax, you may also qualify for further support through a Council Tax Support Hardship payment.

Council Tax

If you don't qualify for Council Tax Support and think you may struggle to pay your Council Tax, email revs@enfield.gov.uk. Make the subject line your Council Tax account number inside pointed brackets, for example <XXXXXXXX>.

Let us know if you want to:

• extend your instalments to the end of March 2023, if this has not already been done
• pay what you can until the situation changes
• delay the payment for up to two months
• suggest another option you'd like us to consider

If you want to apply for a discount, disregard or exemption, see our Council Tax discount page.

If you want to apply for Council Tax Support, see our benefits page.

Help with fuel, water bills and essentials

Government support for energy bills - announced 3 February 2022

The government recently announced a £150 energy payment for all households whose property is valued in Council Tax bands A to D, as well as providing extra funding to enable the council to run a discretionary fund for households in need who are not eligible for the £150 energy payment.

We are currently awaiting further details on how these schemes will run. As soon as more information is known we will publish further information on our website.

Household Support Fund

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has provided £2,847,994 funding to Enfield Council to support residents (1 April 2022 to 30 September 2022) with food, energy, water bills and other essential costs.

At least a third of this funding needs to be spent on households with children, a third on pensioner households and up to a third on households with no pensioners or children.

At Enfield this funding will be targeted (not claimed) and proposals for how this will be spent will be agreed through the council’s key decision process. Agreement for this spend won’t be given until the end of June 2022 when this website will be further updated.

Help with bills

If you're eligible, you could get £140 off your electricity bill for winter 2021 to 2022 under the Warm Home Discount Scheme. You can then contact your electricity supplier who will tell you how you’ll get the discount.

You could get some help with paying water bills if your usage is high and you are on a water meter or have applied to get one fitted. Check your eligibility at Citizen’s Advice – WaterSure scheme and apply by filling out a form from your water company.

If you are struggling to pay your rent or are in arrears, the council has an advisory service that might be able to help.

You can also visit Citizens Advice – get help with bills.

Tips on how to save energy

There are many people struggling to pay for the energy they use, particularly with higher than usual fuel prices. We want residents to stay safe and warm so here are a few tips to save on energy:

The Energy Saving Trust has quick tips for saving energy at home.

We have also teamed up with the HEET project to offer a free energy advice service for eligible residents. You can check if you’re eligible and ask for a visit on the HEET website, or by calling 020 8520 1900.

Shine London also offers help with saving money on your energy bill and ways to keep well and warm.

Help if you're struggling to pay your bills

Citizens Advice has a range of useful guides and information including one specifically about getting help with paying energy bills.

The North Enfield Foodbank can provide access to debt advice as well as to a fuel bank.

Government help and debt advice

Government help

The government recently announced a series of support measures to help with the rising cost of living.

More information on how this affects you can be found on GOV.UK - cost of living support factsheet and the cost of living hub set up by the Mayor of London.

If you're struggling with the current cost of living situation, Money Helper can help you with managing your money in uncertain times.

Debt advice

You can get advice from organisations such as:

• Step Change
• National Debtline

Parents and family support

Support for children

Extra help is available for low income families to support children with complex needs. For more information, visit GOV.UK - support for children with complex needs.

Family Fund provide help for families with seriously ill or disabled children. If you're eligible, you can apply for a grant that can go towards the cost of equipment, goods or services.

Help with funeral expenses

Make sure you follow the correct process when contacting the DWP Funeral Payments team. If not, they won't receive the claim. This may delay help with funeral costs. You can contact the DWP Funeral Payments team on 0800 169 0140.

Further more information, visit GOV.UK - get help with funeral costs.

Help with food

Many voluntary and community organisations are offering help with food for Enfield’s diverse community. If you need urgent food supplies and can’t afford them, you can:

• ask your local food bank for emergency food or support
• visit Enfield Food Alliance for information about local organisations providing food support to residents

You could also try the OLIO food sharing app, a free app allowing neighbours to offer perfectly good, unwanted food to each other. Everything shared on OLIO is free. They have also developed safe sharing ‘no-contact pickups’ in response to COVID-19.

Online food deliveries

If you need to self-isolate and can't get to the shops, you can book an online food delivery through a supermarket:

• Tesco
• Sainsburys
• Asda
• Waitrose
• Iceland

If you can’t use online food deliveries

Some supermarkets offer special services for people to order food over the phone if you're unable to access online deliveries.

Options you can try include:

• Morrisons – call 0345 611 6111 and select option 5
• Sainsbury’s – call 0800 328 1700 from 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. You’ll need to register over the phone before your first order. (This service is only for housebound residents with no internet access or support network.)

Food vouchers

If you're eligible, Healthy Start can give you help to buy food and milk.

Free school meals

Children who receive universal infant free school meals may be entitled to a free school meal under this scheme. If you haven't already done so, you should register your child as eligible for free school meals. For more information, ask at your child's school or contact Pupil Benefits on 020 8379 5367 or email freeschoolmeals@enfield.gov.uk.

During school closures, if children are entitled to free school meals you will need to contact the school to confirm what provisions have been put in place.

Food banks

To view food banks in your area, zoom into the map below and click on the blue pins.