Essential Maintenance
Due to essential maintenance, you will be unable to complete Housing Benefit Reduction applications from 9pm Friday 20th December to 9pm Sunday 22nd December.
Household Support Fund
The Household Support Fund is funded by the Government to help vulnerable households. Find out how it will be used.
The Council received its current allocation in October 2024. This will be used for activity until the end of March 2025. Further updates on how the fund will be used in Knowsley and how residents can access it will be made here.
In Knowsley, it will be used to:
- Provide vouchers for households who receive Free School Meals. Vouchers are issued automatically to eligible households.
- Support Knowsley Foodbank to provide food and essential items. Residents can be referred to the Foodbank from organisations across the borough including Citizens Advice Knowsley, schools and health visitors. To find out which organisations can make a referral for you, email the foodbank at info@knowsley.foodbank.org.uk or call 0151 673 1250.
- You can also self-refer to Knowsley Foodbank by calling Knowsley Food Support on 0151 538 8243. You can view a list of the Knowsley Foodbank distribution centres here.
- Extend library opening hours to run ‘warm hubs’. Find your local library here.
- Provide support with fuel and energy costs as part of a wider package of support available through community groups.
- Bolster funding to community groups and organisations who can ensure the support they provide is aligned to local needs.
A list of local organisations who can support with the cost of food and essential items can be found below:
| Organisation Name | Address / Contact | Offer / Exclusions |
| Al's Arc |
40 Eccleston Street, Prescot, L34 5QJ |
Al's Arc service users Al's Arc deliver a day centre and wrap around support service to adults with disabilities and learning disabilities. Support with the costs of food and essential items for service users in financial need. |
| Knowsley Carers Centre |
143 Bewley Drive, Kirkby, L32 9PE |
Knowsley Carers Centre service users |
| Centre 63 |
Old Hall Ln, Kirkby, Liverpool, L32 5TH |
Social Supermarket open four days per week. Mon, Tues, Weds and Thurs 10am – 2pm. Centre 63 also provide free produce. |
| Flourish and Succeed |
Phone - 0151 245 6111 |
Through community networks and referrals, Flourish and Succeed support residents in need with food and essentials (food parcels, toiletries and hygiene and cleaning products). |
| Friends of Halsnead |
Halsnead School, Pennywood Drive, Whiston, L35 3TX, Located on the Allotments behind Halsnead School |
Provision of a community food initiative on the site of the allotment. Food will be supplemented by local produce grown on site. |
| HIYA |
Hillside Ave, Liverpool L36 8DS |
Support available through HIYA’s community larder ‘The Grub Hub’. Food parcels accessible to anyone in need and will include fresh meat, fruit and vegetables. Open to all Knowsley residents, with additional food support specifically for Hillside and Woolfall area. Support is offered to centre users & all local residents. Centre users come from all areas of Knowsley. |
| Homestart |
55 Rupert Rd, Liverpool, L36 9TB |
Fresh food and pantry basics for struggling families seeking help and engaging with Homestart. Borough-wide but targeting Northwood and North Huyton. |
| Incredible Edible |
Court Hey Park, Roby Rd, Huyton, Liverpool, L16 3NA |
Community food club.The offer in the community food club is
|
| KDC |
263a Tarbock Road, Huyton, Merseyside, L36 0SD |
Knowsley Disability Concern. Cost of living support for KDC service users. |
| Kirkby Foodbank/Northwood Chapel |
Kirkby Foodbank, Northwood Chapel, Bigdale Drive, Northwood, Kirkby, Liverpool, L33 6XG Phone - 0151 292 3846 |
Support for the community with much needed essential items such as cleaning materials, food items and sanitary products. |
| Knowsley Foodbank |
Email - info@knowsley.foodbank.org.uk |
Foodbank with distribution centres across Knowsley. |
| L14 Community | The Gate, 600 Princess Dr, L14 9NQ Phone - 0151 480 1314 Email - l14community@btconnect.com |
Provision of a stocked pantry of food and essentials for users of the centre – groups attending centre include young people, older people and those seeking employment. |
| Northwood Together Community Group |
Quarry Green Club, Daleside Road, Kirkby, L33 8XS Facebook Northwood Together Community Group Phone - 07500 728327 |
Twice weekly food drop in project. Northwood Together Community Group also provide emergency food parcels to residents in need. The food offer is supported by food donated locally, from Liverpool Zero Waste and Morrisons. |
| Park Pantry |
Park Pantry, Community Food Club |
Community food club with over 450 families registered. £3.50 for 10 items. Open each Wednesday. |
| Prescot Community Church |
Prescot Community Church, Old Colliery Rd, Whiston, Prescot, L35 3SX Email - ianmiles@prescot.cc |
Social supermarket hosted at the Prescot Community Church supporting residents in the Prescot and Whiston areas. Open Wednesdays and Thursdays 10:30am to 12:30pm and Tuesday evenings. |
| Southdene Community Centre |
Broad Lane, Kirkby L32 6QG |
For food over the school holiday periods, hot meals for the children and food hampers for the families in need. Sanitary products, hygiene products, cleaning products. |
| Swanside Community Centre |
34 Willoughby Rd, Broadgreen, L14 6XB |
Support to help families in hardship and food to support residents engaged with the Centre who present in need. Essential items to support struggling families (toiletries, cleaning and hygiene products). |
| TDCA |
Social supermarket open 9-3 Phone - 0151 443 2168 |
Food items to residents via social supermarket and essential box offer. Halewood residents are those who can benefit most from this offer; however, support is open to anyone requiring help across Knowsley. |
How to apply
Residents can apply directly to the local organisations listed above for help with the cost-of-living crisis. Some eligibility criteria may apply (see above).
Applications can be made to Knowsley Foodbank – View a list of their distribution centres here or call Knowsley Food Support on 0151 538 8243 to self-refer for support with food.
Residents in an emergency situation can apply to Knowsley Council for help with fuel costs (prepayment meters only). Visit the Council's Emergency Support webpage here to find out more and apply.
Cost of living advice and support
For benefit entitlement checks and money, energy and debt advice and support, contact Citizens Advice Knowsley. Residents can contact Citizens Advice Knowsley by email, calling 0808 278 7839 or visiting the Citizens Advice Knowsley website here.
Prescot and Whiston Community Advice can support you to find out which benefits you may be entitled to and help you to apply. Call 0151 443 4639 to book an appointment. Based in the Prescot Centre.
Further cost-of-living advice and support can be found here. In addition, information and support is also available on the Government’s Cost of Living Hub here.