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Cost of living and community support

Cost of living and community support news

Epping Community Hub

Oakwood Hill Community Hub

Waltham Abbey Outreach

Social spaces

COVID-19

Epping Community Hub

The Civic Offices is much more than just a place to access your district council services. The Epping Community Hub is a one-stop shop for residents to access a wide range of services for help and advice.


How it works

There will be set times and days when each organisation will be based at the Epping Community Hub. This is to ensure a range of services is available, there is space for private interviews and to observe social distancing.

For most services in the hub, you will need to book an appointment with the service you require. All contact details are below.

Social spaces in Epping Forest

Social spaces will be open in the hub on Monday from 1pm to 4pm to provide a free, safe, warm and comfortable space for those who need it. Find out more:

Barclays bank

Following the closure of the Barclays Epping branch, they will now be assisting with banking enquiries and any banking digital support. Note that they will not be able to assist with cash transactions.

At the hub

  • Wednesday 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Thursday 9.30am to 4.30pm
  • Friday 9.30am to 4.30pm

Contact Barclays:

Citizens Advice Epping Forest District

Citizens Advice offers free, impartial, confidential advice online, over the phone, and in person. The issues they cover include energy and issuing of Foodbank vouchers, housing, immigration, work, benefits, debt and money, family and consumer. They have specialist advisers covering employment, benefits and debt problems and can refer to other specialist services if they are unable to advise on the presenting problem.

Citizens Advice will be offering initial conversations with people who come to the Hub. An appointment would be scheduled if further help is required.

At the hub:

  • Thursday 10am to 2pm

Contact Citizens Advice Epping Forest District:

The Change Project

The Change Hub provide 1-2-1 interventions and advice to any resident over the age of 16 who want to make positive changes in how they behave in their relationships with others, whether this is with a partner, ex-partner or family member.

At the hub:

  • Tuesday 2pm to 4pm

Contact The Change Project:

CHESS Homeless

CHESS works to ensure that people who find themselves homeless in Essex are supported in ways that enable them to move forward purposefully and in good health. They provide accommodation, support and sign-posting services to homeless adults.

At the hub:

  • Monday 1.30pm to 4.30pm

To contact CHESS Homeless head office:

The Department for Work and Pensions

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is responsible for welfare, pensions and child maintenance policy.

At the hub:

  • Thursday 9.30am to 4pm

To contact DWP:

EFDC Services

All Epping Forest District Council (EFDC) services are available Monday to Friday from 9am to 5pm however, some services will have an enhanced presence at the hub throughout the week. Our Welcome Hub officers will be available to support customers access our services online.

At the hub:

Homelessness triage and support officer – providing advice to anyone homeless or threatened with homelessness

  • Monday to Thursday 9am to 5.15pm
  • Friday 9am to 5pm

Revenue and Benefits – get advice and support with claiming housing benefit, Council Tax support, disabled relief, single person’s discounts, issuing of foodbank vouchers.

  • Thursday 9am to 5.15pm

Contact us:

Let’s Get Together is a social drop-in session run by our community development and wellbeing team. It is held every Tuesday from 2.30pm to 4.30pm as a social space to provide people with support and company.

Epping Forest Food Bank

Epping Forest Food Bank provides emergency food parcels to people who live in or near the Epping Forest district who have been referred to them by Frontline care.

At the hub:

  • Tuesday 10am to 12pm

Contact Epping Forest Food Bank:

Essex County Council – Adult Social Care

Adult Social Care is a system of support designed to maintain and promote the independence and wellbeing of disabled people, older people, and informal carers.

Prevention and early intervention are at the heart of the system. If an individual has needs that are not eligible, their local authority will support them by signposting or connecting them with voluntary or local community organisations that can support their needs.

Assessments are carried out by professional social workers or other council adult social care staff.

At the hub:

  • Friday 9:30am to 1pm

There is no need to book an appointment with Adult Social Care, just turn up on the day to speak to someone.

For more information or advice:

  • Call 0345 603 7630
  • Textphone 0345 758 5592

(Monday to Thursday, 8.45am to 5pm, Friday, 8.45am to 4.30pm)

Essex Cares Ltd

Essex Cares Ltd supports individuals with a diagnosed learning disability and/or Autism into paid employment and work opportunities. They provide customers with a bespoke service which covers CV writing, applications, interview preparation, interview attendance support, job coaching and sustainment.

At the hub:

  • Tuesday 10am to 2pm (every 3rd Tuesday of the month)

To book an appointment:

Essex County Council – Family Solutions

Essex County Council Family Solutions provides early support to families through joint appointments with partner agencies. Providing a safe space for families to get help and advice.

At the hub:

  • Tuesdays 10am to 2pm (every 3rd Tuesday of the month)

For further information or advice:

Essex County Fire & Rescue Service

Essex County Fire & Rescue provide advice to keep people safe in their homes, at work and when travelling through Essex. Offering free Home Safety Visits including supplying and fitting smoke alarms for free.

At the hub:

  • Tuesday 11am to 3pm

Contact Essex County Fire & Rescue

Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (EPUT)

EPUT is providing community mental health services will provide triage, assessment and treatment for individuals with mental health needs in the community.

At the hub:

Community mental health

  • Friday 9.30am to 1pm (every 3rd Friday of the month)

Employ-ability

  • Wednesday 12pm to 4pm

For the Community mental health service contact:

For the Employ-Ability initiative contact

IPS Lead Employment Specialist

Retention Lead Specialist

The Essex Wellbeing Service

The Essex Wellbeing Service provides Essex residents (excluding Southend-On-Sea and Thurrock) with access to health checks; stop smoking services; weight management courses; and emotional health and wellbeing support.

At the hub:

  • Monday 1pm to 4pm (every 3rd Monday of the month)

For further information or advice

Open Road (west essex)

Open road is a charity covering Essex, East Anglia and Kent. Providing support and signposting, wellbeing initiatives, counselling, and practical help for people affected by drug or alcohol addiction and other health and social problems.

At the hub (from Wednesday 17 July 2024):

  • Wednesday 9am to 5pm

To make an appointment contact:

For further information or advice

Peabody Outreach Support

Essex Outreach Support offers a short-term support service to people over the age of 16 years, living within Essex who are experiencing a range of problems that are impacting their health, financial and housing wellbeing.

At the hub by appointment only:

  • Friday 10am to 4pm

To make an appointment contact:

For further information or advice

Phoenix Futures

Phoenix Futures are a charity and housing association which has been helping people overcome drug and alcohol problems for more than 50 years. They provide residential, prison, community, and specialist services. They believe in being the best, we are passionate about recovery, and value their history and use it to inform there future.

At the hub:

  • Friday 5 July 10am to 2pm
  • Friday 7 August 10am to 2pm

To contact Phoenix Futures:

Vita Health Group

NHS Talking Therapies West Essex – provides psychological therapy for those with mild to moderate mental health difficulties

At the hub:

  • Monday 10am to 2pm

To contact Vita Health Group:

Voluntary Action Epping Forest

Voluntary Action Epping Forest (VAEF) is an independent charity whose core work is aimed at helping other local charities and community groups to achieve their full potential.

VAEF develops new initiatives to meet the community’s needs, such as:

  • Ace Activities for people with learning difficulties
  • Benefits advice for housebound residents
  • Befriending for older people who live on their own or in isolation
  • Gardening and handyman services, providing help from trusted workers to people who need it

The charity also provides a comprehensive volunteer service to help local people become involved in volunteering.

At the hub:

  • Monday 11.15am to 4.30pm
  • Wednesday 10am to 1.30pm

To contact VAEF:

More information

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