Haringey residents benefit from Cost of Living measures

As the Cost of Living keeps rising and families face soaring bills over the winter months, Haringey Council is continuing to put strong measures in place to ensure residents get the vital support they need throughout the winter.

Cllr Peray Ahmet, Leader of Haringey Council, met with the local community at Hornsey Central Café on Monday 10 October to help launch Haringey Warm Welcome - a growing network of inclusive spaces across the borough where residents can grab a cup of tea and keep warm.

The hard work does not stop there, and Cllr Ahmet along with her cabinet, will also be visiting some of the amazing businesses, organisations and community groups across the borough that are helping families through the financial crisis.

A series of measures will be put in place to help individuals with soaring energy and food costs, such as the council’s ongoing financial support campaign and Haringey Here to Help which will continue the long-standing support that has been on offer to the local community.

“We launched our Haringey, Here to Help campaign back in 2020, to help residents access the financial help and support they needed during the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Leader of Haringey Council, Cllr Peray Ahmet.

“It continues to be an invaluable resource for many residents today during the Cost of Living crisis and has evolved to include a dedicated Here to Help webpage, an online benefits calculator, and a Financial Support Helpline.

“We know that the Cost of Living crisis will have an impact on not just our vulnerable residents, but everyone across the borough, and that is why we are taking such strong action to address the issue and support our community over the coming weeks and months.”

As part of the council’s Haringey, Here to Help campaign, their dedicated Financial Support Team has helped residents to claim over £420,000 worth of benefits and reduce over £110,000 worth of debt. But there is still much more the council is planning to do to help residents through this difficult time.

Haringey Council is a helping partner in the Haringey Warm Welcome initiative, helping local businesses, community groups, and places of worship set up their own warm welcome spaces.

These spaces provide a warm, safe place for residents to go, meet new people, and take part in activities, when they may be finding it hard to keep their homes warm due to rising energy costs.

Cllr Peray Ahmet added: “What’s great about the Haringey Warm Welcome initiative is the pay it forward scheme. In some spaces residents can pick up a free food or drink item thanks to other residents paying for these in advance and leaving a voucher for someone else to use.

“Within Haringey, people and communities have always come together in extraordinary ways to help each other in times of need, and this is a perfect example of them doing just that. Within an hour or so of launching we already had over £30 worth of pay-it-forward donations in just one location.

“It really shows the importance of us all coming together to make a difference.”

If you’re finding it hard to keep on top of rising costs, please visit the council’s Haringey, Here to Help webpages to find out what support is available, or call their Financial Support Helpline on 020 8489 4431.