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Council to offer support for ‘anyone struggling’ in Manchester over Christmas

Manchester City Council wants to "ensure people can turn to us" over the festive period.

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant - 18th December 2023

Manchester City Council has committed to offering support to “anyone struggling” in the city region over the festive period.

While Christmas may only be just over a week away now, and the spirit of the season is really starting to set in for many, it’s sadly not always ‘the most wonderful time of the year’ for everyone – especially with the rising cost of living crisis unfortunately continuing to make its impact felt across Greater Manchester and throughout the UK.

Here in Manchester, Council figures show that more than 100,000 households have been put at risk in some way due to the cost of living crisis, whether that be accessing food, paying bills, or slipping into financial trouble.

This is why Manchester City Council is setting out to offer as much support as it can over Christmas.

Councillors say that the difficulties thousands of Mancunians have faced on a daily basis have been “plain to see” over the last few years.

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But in spite of what it has referred to as “the failings” from the UK central Government in delivering “tangible and lasting support” for those who need it most, the Council says it has has “resolved to ensure that people can turn to us”.

So, what support is available to Manchester residents this winter then? Here’s everything you need to know.

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Cost of Living Advice Line

Back in 2022, the Council started Cost of Living Advice Line, which provides Manchester residents with a number to call if they are struggling with a range of issues such as paying bills, debt advice, access to services, food support, and more.

That number is still live and can be reached on 0800 023 2692, with operators remaining on the line to support anyone who needs help or advice.

Warm Welcome Spaces

Warm Welcome Spaces are places where people can go to take shelter in a warm and judgement free location.

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This year, all of Manchester’s libraries are open to those in need, for as long as they need them, with a range of other businesses and organisations across the Greater Manchester region having also put themselves forward for the scheme too.

Find out more about Warm Welcome Spaces here.

‘Helping Hands’ & ‘Winter Warmth’ Advice Guides

More than 15,000 ‘Helping Hands’ Advice Guides – which detail the support available for people during the winter – have been produced and will be available across the city in locations such as libraries, Sure Start Centres, and Early Help Hubs.

‘Winter Warmth’ advice leaflets are also being made available, which inform people how they can access support if they need help paying their heating bills, where they can go to stay warm for free in Manchester, and how to stay healthy during the cold weather.

Social Tariffs

‘Social Tariffs’ are also available for people who are in receipt of Universal Credit or Pension Credit, which allow them to access reduced-price internet or mobile phone rates.

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The Holiday Activity Fund Programme

Additional support has also been made available by the Council for families who struggle when schools are out via The Holiday Activity Fund Programme.

Running throughout the school Christmas holiday period, this scheme provides free activities and shared experiences for children aged five to 16, with free meals provided throughout the day to “fill a gap” which would normally be provided via a free school meal.

Manchester secures £5.2m funding to build ‘supported accommodation’ for rough sleepers

The Council has outlined its festive season support options just a week after it was revealed that the city has secured £5.2 million in funding to build new ‘supported accommodation’ designed to house rough sleepers, and also comes after it published its plan back in November to get rough sleepers off the streets of Manchester and into temporary accommodation this winter.

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Find out more about all the support on offer in Manchester this Christmas over on Manchester City Council’s website here.

Featured Image – Ethel Red (via Flickr)

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Major pop star crowns humble rice and three cafe as ‘Jewel of Manchester’ ahead of sold-out gig

Thomas Melia Thomas Melia

A beloved city centre takeaway has been given the title of ‘Jewel of Manchester’ by chart-topping UK singer Sam Smith.

Known for hits like ‘Stay With Me’, ‘I’m Not The Only One’ and more recently ‘Unholy’, UK pop-ballad act Sam Smith also likes to drop a food review every once in a while.

Currently on the road with a run of shows in Manchester and London for their ‘To Be Free’ live shows, Sam Smith is stopping off at some of our city’s much-loved spots.

On their food-reviewing account titled ‘Sam Served’, where they adopt the aptly-fitting nickname ‘Ham Smith’, Sam has visited restaurants across the globe – and most recently turned their attention to Manchester’s own This & That.

Smith decided to pop in and grab a cheeky rice and three from long-standing backstreet food business This & That, and it certainly went down a treat.

After sampling their amazing selection of meat, vegetable and vegan curries, the musician crowned this family-run Indian takeaway a ‘Jewel of Manchester’.

The hitmaker described this Northern Quarter Indian eatery as ‘Everything food should be’ and definitely enjoyed all the curries on offer ‘leaving belly and heart full’.

This & That prides itself on affordable and comforting food with its ‘Rice and Three Curries’ starting from just £6 – not bad for a city centre foodie spot.

Sam has racked up an impressive 490k followers via their ‘Sam Served’ profile, with famous faces like Lily Allen, Denise Welch and CMAT all wanting to know the superstar’s foodie thoughts.

After enjoying a curry or three, Sam Smith also made sure to feed their soul to by venturing down to Afflecks and getting lost in the music at Mars Tapes.

Recognised as one of the UK’s only cassette and tape shops, Mars Tapes lets you flick through their crates of physical media and even preview tracks before you buy with its dedicated listening areas.

It’s safe to say that Smith has ‘Latched’ onto Manchester’s independent business scene and we’re here for it.

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The London-born artist has just released their latest album Hazel Eyes and is currently amid a UK residency tour with two dates in Manchester’s Albert Hall and eight shows set for London Coliseum.

For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE

Featured Image: @samserved (via Instagram)

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24-hour bus services are now running across all Greater Manchester boroughs

Emily Sergeant Emily Sergeant Night bus

24-hour bus services are now running across all boroughs in Greater Manchester.

You may remember that back in March, it was announced that every borough of Greater Manchester was set to get a night bus service in what is hoped to be a ‘boost’ to the night-time economy… and now it’s official, Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) has launched those 24-hour buses this month, along with a series of other measures.

Oldham, Stockport, Tameside, and Trafford now join the rest of Greater Manchester in having 24-hour bus services, meaning every part of the region will have a night bus operating Thursday through to Sunday.

It’s expected that these new services will help around 625,400 people working in the night-time economy across Greater Manchester, as well as those out enjoying the region’s nightlife, TfGM has said.

The routes which will run around the clock from Thursday until Sunday are:

  • 50 (Salford – Manchester)
  • 216 (Tameside – Manchester)
  • 263 (Trafford – Manchester)
  • 192 (Stockport – Manchester)
  • 83 (Oldham – Manchester)
All Greater Manchester boroughs now have 24-hour bus services / Credit: TfGM

They launch alongside the most significant service changes to the Bee Network since the completion of bus franchising last year – including other new bus routes, and more frequent services across Greater Manchester.

“We want everyone to be able to enjoy everything Greater Manchester offers, without the worry of how to get there and get home,” commented Greater Manchester Mayor, Bev Craig.

“By growing the Bee Network, we’re making it easier than ever for people to use the bus, day and night.

“Our night buses are already providing a lifeline to some of the hundreds of thousands of people who are growing our night-time economy and working in essential public services.”

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“Whether people are heading home from a night at the theatre or starting the early shift at a hospital, they can now get on board the night bus as a safe and affordable way to travel.”

Further improvements will delivered from January 2027, and a full breakdown by borough can be found on the Bee Network website here.

Featured Image – Aleksandr Popov (via Unsplash)

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