Cost of living support in Belfast

Cost of living support

The cost of everyday essentials continues to rise. We recognise that individuals and households face pressures due to the high cost of living. We are working with a range of organisations across Belfast to enhance their capacity to support people who are most in need of help.

If you are worried about money and bills, make sure you are getting the help and support available to you. In our Cost of living section, we publish information on our services and details of other organisations in Belfast which might be able to provide support or advice. We haven't included details of every local neighbourhood support initiative, so you should ask local community organisations for information on other support available in your area. 

Help with food

Food prices are rising quickly. Food banks, food vouchers and social supermarkets provide options to people who are most in need of help. Organisations listed in this table can provide advice and help to access food support. Each organisation's link opens in a new window.

Free recipe books

Planning meals and writing food shopping lists can help make food go further. We have created two free cookbooks, Cooking Solo and Thrifty Kitchen, with budget-friendly recipes. Each book has appetising recipes for people cooking alone or interested in reducing food waste. To get a free recipe book, email [email protected].

Help for families and children

Each organisation's link opens in a new window.

Help with energy costs

Oil, gas and electricity bills are increasing. Contact your energy supplier to discuss payment options or ask for free confidential advice from organisations listed in this table. Each organisation's link opens in a new window.

Help for older people

Each organisation's link opens in a new window.

Warm and welcome spaces

Other support and advice

Ten tips for saving energy at home

Forty one per cent of households spends more than 10 per cent of their income on their home energy costs. Changes to some everyday activities in your home could help you reduce your household bills. There are ten suggestions to consider:

• if you only have a single room thermostat for the whole house, for every degree you increase the temperature, it could increase the heating bill by about 10 per cent.
• draught-proofing windows and doors as well as blocking cracks in floors and skirting boards could save around £95 a year.
• if your hot water tank is uninsulated, add 80mm insulation to the tank and pipes. You could save up to £215 and 1,025 kg CO² a year.
• switching off electrical appliances and not leaving items like TVs on standby could save around £70.
• washing clothes at 30°C and running one less cycle per week could save around £30 a year on energy.
• drying laundry on a clothesline instead of tumbledrying could save an average of £60 a year on electricity.
• taking a four-minute shower could save you up to £65 per year on your household energy bills.
• only fill your kettle with water you need and fit a tap aerator to save up to £32 per year.
• Only run the dishwasher when full. One less run per week could save £15 a year.

Sources: Information sourced from Energy Saving Trust. Northern Ireland prices for oil and electricity are based on an average of supplier tariffs in November 2024.

Top tips to reduce food waste and save money

Houses in the UK throw out 6.5 million tonnes of food every year. A family of four can save over £80 a month by reducing food waste.  

Here are some suggestions to consider.

Cook once, eat twice

• Batch cooking - cooking larger amounts and keeping portions for later can keep down the cost of making food.
• Freeze for later - having meals in your freezer is a great way to avoid buying expensive ready meals or takeaways. Simply double up on the quantities and freeze half.
• Lunch box leftovers – make the most of leftovers to create additional meals. Meats left over from dinner can be added to a healthy salad or tasty sandwich.

Food storage

• Store bread in a cupboard or bread bin – it goes stale quicker in the fridge.
• Check your fridge is set below 5˚C to keep your food fresher for longer.
• Apart from pineapples, bananas and onions, the best place to store fruit and vegetables is in the fridge.

Differences between ‘Use by’ and ‘Best before’ dates

• 'Use by’ relates to safety. Food can be eaten up until and on the ‘use by’ date, but not after.
• ‘Best before’ relates to quality. Food will be safe to eat after this date, but it may not be at its best.

We have created two free cookbooks, Cooking Solo and Thrifty Kitchen, with delicious and budget-friendly recipes to guide those cooking alone or keen to reduce food waste. To request your free copy, email [email protected].

Cost of living printed guide

We published a free, printed guide with details of organisations in Belfast providing advice and support to people needing help due to the high cost of living. 

The guide is available in different formats including translations in Irish, Arabic, Chinese, Romanian and Somalian. To ask for the guide, email [email protected]. 

Money and payment scams

Beware of calls, emails or text messages pretending to be from a government service or an energy support scheme. If you get a message asking for your personal information including bank details ro passwords, you should report any suspicious requests.