Cost of Living Crisis: Here's how to ensure you don't miss out on the financial support you are entitled to

The City Council has teamed up with Lightning Reach, a portal where residents complete a profile by answering a simple 10–15-minute online questionnaire.

With the cost of living continuing to bite, the North East Child Poverty Commission recently reported unclaimed benefits and social tariffs across the North East at £1.33bn.

The portal will help to ensure anyone who’s entitled to benefits or support doesn’t miss out.

Once a profile is complete, residents can see in one place all the support they might be eligible for, get updated when more support is added, and apply for multiple sources of support directly through the portal.

The Lightning Reach portal includes targeted help with energy bills, home improvements to boost energy efficiency, or grants from charities, and disability aids.

Councillor Beth Jones, the City Council's Cabinet Member for Communities, said: "By using the Lightning Reach portal residents can find a huge variety and range of possible support, and they only need to make one profile to be able to start applying.

"We hope this helps a lot of residents to get extra financial help, particularly around energy bills over the winter. As a council we are completely committed to helping all residents if they are finding themselves in more straightened circumstances with the ongoing cost-of-living crisis."

Residents can also receive support and help going online at one of the 22 community digital health hubs across the city.

With the Government scrapping winter fuel payments for all but the poorest pensioners who are on pension credit, the City Council set up the Sunderland Fuel Fund to support those pensioners just above this threshold.

To date, the scheme has supported more than 5,000 city pensioners with winter support payments.