Cost of living advice

Community Advice Lisburn Castlereagh (CALC)

Provides free, confidential and impartial advice on a range of issues including:
•    Benefits
•    Debt
•    Employment
•    Housing
•    Consumer 
•    Tribunal affairs

Tel: 028 9266 2251         Email: calc@calcni.com     

For more information click here.

Education Authority NI

Parents can apply for Free School Meals (FSM) and Uniform Grants directly through the Education Authority website. Click here for more information. 

Email: mealsanduniform@eani.org.uk         Tel: 028 9041 8044  

SERC (South Eastern Regional College)    

SERC provide a range of financial support that is available to students. These vary depending upon your course of study. 

For more information click here.

The ‘Step up to Success’ education course is a part-time course for adults returning to education. This course is a SERC College initiative as part of widening access and participation. The course offers adults, who may be experiencing hardship or have been out of education for a time, an opportunity to return with no financial barrier.

For more information click here.

School Uniform Banks (SUB)

Provide quality uniform garments for children in the local area. The banks provide quality pre-loved, or donated new, local school uniforms, boots, shoes, trainers, plimsolls, school bags and stationery.

For more information click here. 

Department for Communities 

The Department for Communities has a range of financial support and advice available.

For more information click here. 

NI Direct 

NI Direct has a range of financial support and advice available. 

For cost of living support click here. 

For for information on the 'Make the Call Service' click here. 

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) 

Is a UK charity working with over 800 affiliated churches to deliver debt help, budgeting guidance, and support to find work, life skills groups and more. 

For more information click here.

Sure Start 

From pregnancy through to your child’s 4th birthday, Sure Start is dedicated to providing every child with the ‘best start in life’.

For more information click here. 

For residents in the Ballybeen area for more information click here. 

ATLAS Womens’ Centre 

A supportive space for adult learning, personal growth and community engagement. 

Tel: 028 9260 5806       Email: info@atlaswomenscentre.co.uk     

For more information click here. 

Lisburn City Church Community Trust (SSM)  

The Kickstart Social Supermarket at LCC Community Trust is designed to support those struggling with food poverty by offering affordable food and comprehensive wraparound care. Support extends to money management courses and classes in cookery, parenting, employment, and household skills.

For more information click here.

Lisburn Food Bank 

Lisburn Food Bank is part of a nationwide network of food banks, supported by the Trussell Trust, working to combat poverty and hunger across the UK. 

Other food bank locations include the Storehouse Trust in Carryduff, Dundonald Foodbank and Moira Foodbank.    

For more information click here. 

Tel: 07756 965868   Email: team@lisburnfoodbank.org
 

Community Fridges 

There are several community fridges in the area that brings people together to share food, meet up, learn new skills and prevent fresh food from going to waste.

They’re open to all and anyone can share or take food, including surplus from supermarkets, local food businesses, producers, households and gardens. 

To find your nearest community fridge click here. 

Christmas Toy Reuse Scheme    

We are once again partnering with Habitat for Humanity to help local families and protect our planet through the Pre-loved Christmas Toy Scheme.

For more information click here.

The Hygiene Bank 

Provides products to anyone who can’t afford personal or cleaning products.

Volunteers collect essential supplies for personal hygiene, as well as household cleaning products and nappies, which they pass on to community groups to help those in need locally. 

For more information click here.

Repair Café Carryduff/Moira 

Independent, volunteer-led groups offering local residents the opportunity to extend the life of their belongings, reduce the amount of waste thrown away, while engaging with others in a friendly and safe environment.  

Details of upcoming repair events, and volunteering opportunities can be found via social media: Repair Café Carryduff or Repair Café Moira.

Caring Communities Safe & Well      

The Caring Communities Safe and Well service offer individuals aged 65+ a range of services including:

• Connections with new people – Telephone befriending, Good Morning Call
• Access to health services
• Keeping active and healthy
• Safe and secure homes
• Benefit advice
• Emotional support
• Access information and advice

For more information click here.

Healthy living 

The South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust is committed to improving the health and wellbeing of its communities, working in partnership with other Trust staff, the local community and a wide range of statutory and voluntary bodies.

For more information click here. 

Addiction 

The South Eastern Health & Social Care Trust provides Community Addiction Services for anyone aged 18 or over who is worried about their own substance use, or that of someone close to them.

Support ranges from short-term advice and group sessions to substitute prescribing, dual diagnosis care, and inpatient treatment.

For more information click here. 

Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE)            

The NIHE currently provides a number of services to help to address hardship amongst its customers.

The organisation has recently launched its ‘Making Your Money Work’ (MYMW) service which aims to provide a comprehensive support service to those tenants experiencing financial hardship. 

The MYMW service offers the following support services;

• Household budgeting and benefits advice
• Referral to Advice NI for specialised debt advice
• Referral to an appropriate Floating Support service
• Referral to ‘Make the Call’ service run by the Department for Communities 

For more information click here.             

Libraries NI 

Libraries are located in communities right across Northern Ireland, they are free to members of the public wishing to use them and there are a range of services, activities and resources that are available to assist with education, learning, digital exclusion, literacy, reading, loneliness and social isolation.

The five libraries in the Lisburn & Castlereagh area are Lisburn, Dundonald, Moira, Newtownbreda and Carryduff.  

For more information click here.

Trinity Methodist Church (Lisburn)

Open on Monday and Friday mornings from 9am-11.30am.

Email: bookings@trinitylisburn.com or Tel: 028 9260 5335.

Hope Church (Royal Hillsborough) 

Open every Monday during the summer holidays from 10am-12 noon and 6.30pm-8pm.

Email: info@hopechurchni.org or Tel: 028 9268 2751