Live Well for Less in Pembrokeshire!
The Live Well for Less programme, launched on 1st April 2024 in Pembrokeshire, aims to help individuals and families take positive steps to maximise their income and reduce their expenditure by implementing simple energy saving measures in their homes, accessing benefits & funds to which they are entitled, reviewing household finances, improving budgeting skills, using online services (banking, shopping, budgeting tools), preparing low-cost nutritional meals, and providing a single point of contact for information, advice, and support available in the community through the Pembrokeshire Community Hub. Individual and group support will be delivered on the phone, in-person, online, and at drop-in events in community venues throughout Pembrokeshire.
The Live Well for Less programme includes:
- Pembrokeshire Smarter Energy Support Service (PSESS) – this service is delivered by Cwm Arian Renewable Energy (CARE).
- CARE will deliver advice and guidance to householders (individuals and families) across the County to improve energy efficiency, enhance wellbeing, and reduce bills.
- CARE will lead on developing a Pembrokeshire Smarter Energy Network for organisations offering energy advice and support to individuals, households, businesses, public buildings, community venues, etc. Contact peter@cwmarian.org.uk
- Managing Money Online – this service is delivered by Age Cymru Dyfed (ACD) and aims to improve the financial digital skills and confidence of individuals and communities, helping with online banking and shopping, showing people how to use money-saving websites and budgeting tools, and making sure people know how to stay safe online.
- Increasing Income: Reducing Spend – ACDs Cost of Living service is helping people aged 50+ years and their carers/families to navigate the complex welfare benefits system which can often prove confusing. Support is available to (a) maximise income by ensuring that older people access the benefits they are entitled to receive and (b) reduce expenditure by making sure people are not paying more than they need to for basic services.
- A specific element of this work IS focused on young people (aged 16+ years) who have money invested in Child Trust Funds that they are unaware of and/or who do not know how to unlock that money.
- Learning to Manage Money – this element of the programme will be delivered as workshops in community settings.
- Cooking on a Budget workshops will also be delivered in community settings across Pembrokeshire.
The Live Well for Less programme can be accessed through the Pembrokeshire Community Hub as part of the community contribution to tackling poverty and addressing the cost of living crisis through the Keep Warm, Keep Well programme.
Lee Hind and the team at the Pembrokeshire Community Hub have the following message for you:
“We’ve created a page accessed from the front page of www.pembrokeshirecommunityhub.org.uk that summarises the support available and the work of our partners – please do visit and promote to your colleagues, clients and customers. Importantly however, residents of Pembrokeshire do not need any kind of existing digital skills to access the project – anyone can call 01437 723660 and be guided through the options available to them. Both the Hub and our delivery partners have leaflets and other resources to promote the project – if you’d like any of these for your event or meeting, please let us know. If you have any questions or need more information, please call the Hub on 01437 723660 or email us via enquiries@pembrokeshirecommunityhub.org”
You can also stay up to date with the Pembrokeshire Community Hub via social media https://www.facebook.com/PembsHub