Parent support
With the cost of living increasing many families will find their income stretched.
Support and advice can be found with the following links.
Free school meals
Your child may be able to get free school meals if you get any of the following:
- Income Support
- income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance
- income-related Employment and Support Allowance
- support under Part VI of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999
- the guaranteed element of Pension Credit
- Child Tax Credit (provided you’re not also entitled to Working Tax Credit and have an annual gross income of no more than £16,190)
- Working Tax Credit run-on - paid for 4 weeks after you stop qualifying for Working Tax Credit
- Universal Credit - if you apply on or after 1 April 2018 your household income must be less than £7,400 a year (after tax and not including any benefits you get)
Children who get paid these benefits directly, instead of through a parent or guardian, can also get free school meals.
Support from Hampshire - Connect 4 Communities
Information & Advice from Connect to Support
Dealing with death
Hampshire libraries are working to support families dealing with death by extablishing 'Death positive libraries: aiming to remove the barriers to talking about death and dying.
"Libraries are uniquely placed to be a centre for bereavement support as well as a trusted space where conversations about death and dying can take place with caring staff on hand to help. Our five hubs, which are based in Basingstoke Discovery Centre, Chandler’s Ford Library, New Milton Library, Stubbington Library and Waterlooville Library; will also be working in partnership with specialist charities, organisations and businesses who support those who are dying or bereaved. These partnerships will enable us to offer practical and supportive events and activities in the Death Positive hubs later this year."
The Hubs, which are located across the county, to ensure as many people as possible can benefit from this project, will offer
- A specially chosen collection of books for adults offering practical information and guidance
- A collection of books for children, which use relatable stories to help initiate conversations about death
- Trained staff who are comfortable talking about death and able to provide practical guidance for those seeking further professional support
- Resources containing QR codes, directing customers to our webpages and signposting to relevant support services