Cost of Living
Cost of living support
We know that the extra costs of food and essentials and the rising domestic energy prices are adding significant pressures to household budgets for many people in Knowsley.
But there is help and support available to help you with essentials such as food, help with energy costs (prepayment and credit meters).
As well as the support outlined below, Knowsley Council has allocated funding from the Government’s Household Support Fund to provide food vouchers to pupils who have been means tested and are in receipt of free school meals. This will fund the October, December, February and April school holidays, providing support to over 8,500 pupils.
Vulnerable residents who are being supporting through the council’s Adult Social Care or Children’s Services teams are also receiving bespoke support aligned to their identified needs.
Help with food
Food is available to Knowsley residents through:
- Knowsley Foodbank – either by obtaining a referral voucher from a partner (including GPs or Citizens Advice), or by calling the Knowsley Food Support line on 0151 538 8243. View a list of their distribution centres.
- Through a network of community partners working with the council through the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund. Contact details, opening hours and further detail of these individual offers can be found by visiting the Knowsley Better Together Hardship Fund page on the council’s website.
The food offer is available across the borough as follows:
- Halewood – Torrington Drive Community Association, St Nicholas and St Marys Church
- Huyton – Swanside Community Centre, Incredible Edibles, Homestart, HIYA
- Kirkby – Southdene Community Centre, Centre 63
- Stockbridge – Stockbridge Tenants Forum
- Prescot – Al’s Arc, FOESP (Friends of Eaton Street Park)
- Borough-wide sites – Knowsley Foodbank, Flourish and Succeed
Residents in need can access any of these services. Many partners also run a social supermarket, or food club which offers food and essentials to residents at reduced prices, helping to keep the cost of the weekly shop down. Where residents are struggling to afford to use these options, these partners can provide food for free.
Discounted food shops
A number of discounted food shops, offering a range of food and household essentials at significantly reduced prices, are available at:
Centre 63, Old Hall Lane in Kirkby – open Wednesdays 10am to 2pm.
Torrington Drive Community Association, New Hutte Community Centre, Lichfield Road in Halewood – open Monday to Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm.
Stockbridge Community Hub, Unit 2, Leach Croft in Stockbridge Village – open Tuesdays 12noon to 2pm.
The Park Pantry Community Food Hub, The Pavillion, Eaton Street in Prescot – open Wednesdays 11am to 2pm.
Community Food Hub at Court Hey Park, Huyton – Incredible Edible run a Community Food Hub from Court Hey Park in Huyton offering discounted food as well as home grown vegetables. Call in on Tuesdays from 12pm until 2pm or Fridays from 11am until 2pm.
