Living with a rare disease or disability during the cost of living crisis can be challenging. We have put together a centralised resource hub where you can find relevant organisations that can assist with various aspects of life. On this page you can find organisations that offer advice and support. Scroll down to get links that you will find useful or you can return to the cost of living page to navigate to other resources.

Midwives and health visitors can request baby equipment and essential toiletries for their clients. There is an ever growing network of churches and community groups around the country running a Baby Basics project for their local community.

STAND North Wales CIC is a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that supports families with children and young people with speech, language communication needs, additional needs, and disabilities in North Wales. STAND is a parent-led organisation and offers parent support groups, listening ear request phone calls, training, family and activity days, Online Youth group, Early Years programmes and more.

Families First is a local group of different services working together to help families. It is funded by the Welsh Government. They are there to make sure families receive the right support when they need it. Flintshire County Council oversees the Families First grant. 

Action for children Flintshire Families Disabilities Service provide opportunities and build links to enable social interaction, getting out in the community and developing life skills. It is a short-term service who support Disabled children, young people and families based on your needs and choices.

Home-Start is a national charity. It has a local Flintshire community network of trained volunteers who can provide expert support to help families with young children (under 11) through their challenging times.

Family information service Flintshire provide information about how you can choose childcare; support which may be available to you with the cost of childcare; help you to find a local childcare setting; or any other information to help your family with health, leisure, or support needs.

The Childcare Offer provides 30 hours of government funded Early Education and childcare to the working parents of 3 to 4 year olds across Wales for 48 weeks per year. Spring term applications for children with the date of birth 01/09/2020 - 07/01/2021 will open on the 13th November 2023. Below is the link for more information for families living in Flintshire.

Funded childcare for eligible 2 year olds is available through Wrexham Flying Start, from the term after their second birthday until the term after their third birthday.

Carers UK can provide you with a list of resources and advice on their website.

NEWCIS Young Carers support all young carers under 25 in Flintshire including any with a disability.

Carers Wales provides a list of advice and resources for carers on their website.

Citizens Advice Wales – An online resource providing information on many topics, plus you can find your local branch.

Citizens Advice Wrexham provides you with free, independent, confidential and impartial advice on any issue brought to them.

Citizens Advice Denbighshire provides you with free, independent, confidential and impartial advice.

Citizens Advice Flintshire provides you with free, independent, confidential and impartial advice.

Citizens Advice Gwynedd provides you with free, independent, confidential and impartial advice.

If you’re struggling with your mortgage rate, you may be able to get help from your mortgage lender.

There are six key ways in which the charter might help you:

• If you’re worried about repayments, you can now contact your lender for help and guidance, without any impact on your credit score.

• If you’re up to date with payments, lenders will let you switch to interest-only payments for six months.

• If you’re approaching the end of a fixed rate deal, you will have the chance to lock in a new deal 6 months ahead.

• If you’re up to date with payments, you can switch to new mortgage deals.

• You can access tailored support from your lender if you’re struggling with payments.

• Homes cannot be repossessed within 12 months of a first missed payment

Find out here if your mortgage lender has signed the charter.

If you’re struggling with debt, the National Debt line aim to provide free, impartial, expert advice.

Whether you’re worried about rising rents, covering higher energy costs or tackling debt, MoneyHelper have brought together useful tools, calculators and guides to help you keep on top of your money.

If you are unsure about what support is available to you, Advicelink Cymru can help you check what you are entitled to and to claim what’s yours.

When you call Advicelink Cymru, on 0808 250 5700, you will get free and confidential advice about money you may be entitled to.

Advicelink Cymru can help you apply for welfare benefits, such as Personal Independence Payment, Carers Allowance and Pension Credit get Welsh Government support with fuel costs, school and childcare expenses and further and higher education costs. The Advicelink Cymru helpline can also arrange for you to get help with debt and personal finance issues.

You can contact an Advicelink Cymru advisor by calling the free helpline on 0808 250 5700.

Lines are open from Monday to Friday between 9am to 5pm

LATCH supports children and their families who are being treated by the Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital of Wales, whose catchment area stretches from Chepstow in the South to Aberystwyth in the North. LATCH provides a range of support including financial Support through Grants – this can be for travel, food, even rent in some cases. LATCH also offers holiday grants or the option to use their three caravans, and provides a number of excursions for children to Lego Land, Build a Bear and other venues to provide a touch of normality or a well needed escape from ongoing treatment.

If you’ve been affected by illegal lending or a related crime, Stop Loan Sharks support victims and protects people from illegal lending and related crime.

The council tax reduction scheme - Denbighshire - can help you pay your council tax if you’re on a low income. Any amount awarded is credited directly to the council tax account.

The council tax reduction scheme – Flintshire - can help you pay your council tax if you’re on a low income. Any amount awarded is credited directly to the council tax account.

The council tax reduction scheme - Gwynedd – if you’re on a low income you could get help with paying your council tax. Any amount awarded is credited directly to the council tax account.

Disabled Children: A Legal Handbook 3rd Edition – is a guide to the legal rights of disabled children and their families in England. The authors navigate the many, often overlapping, sources of law, explaining the difference between what public bodies must do to support disabled children and that which they may do. It’s free to view.

This link from Citizens Advice gives you information on benefits and tax credits if you are working or unemployed, sick or disabled, a parent, a young person, an older person or a veteran. There is also information about council tax and housing costs, national insurance, payment of benefits and problems with benefits.

Mencap offer advice regarding setting up Wills and Trusts. You may be able to register for one of their online seminars and free guides are available on their website.

If you are caring for a child with a life-limiting or life-threatening condition, you can book an appointment for a free 30 minute session with Together for Short Lives’ Energy Adviser. If you are finding it hard to pay your energy bills and would like to talk to somebody, they are here for you. Sessions are available every week day, 10am – 2pm.  

Help for pets - See if you can get help with vet care costs here Low cost vet treatment | Check eligibility | Blue Cross or here Veterinary Financial Assistance In Your Local Area | RSPCA or here Eligibility - PDSA. Find out if your local food bank has any pet food Find a Food Bank - The Trussell Trust.

Scope offer free energy and water advice to disabled people, helping them to manage their energy and water needs. The service is open to any disabled person or households where one or more disabled person lives (in England or Wales). 

The All Wales Forum have collated a list of organisations and authorities who are providing advice, grants and possible funding to support people during the cost-of-living crisis.  The list will keep being updated as the Forum comes across further support or when details of grants and funding from the Welsh Government are published.

Care and Repair provides information, advice and practical services that help older people in Wales stay safe, warm and well at home. They fit disability aids and adaptations, supply home maintenance services, help maximise income and access grants, and make homes safe to return to from hospital. Support is provided to people over 60 years old, however, some of their services are available to those under the age of 60.

Cost of Living Hub in Flintshire want to make sure all Flintshire residents are aware of the financial help and household support available to them.

Library staff in Denbighshire are available to help you access the digital world through your local library. They can help you with accessing council and other services online so that making enquiries and payments, or finding information is more simple. If you are looking for a more formal learning opportunity, they offer a number of basic computer skills courses hosted by Coleg Llandrillo.

Denbighshire Local Council offer Information about the support available to help people with the cost of living.

Gwynedd Local Council offer information about the support available to help people with the cost of living.

Cheshire West and Chester council offer information about the support available to help people with the cost of living.

Please do share any useful websites or support organisations focusing on cost of living so we can add them to the resources. Your support is very much appreciated.