Anyone struggling with the cost of living in Hackney - or who wants to help others - can find out more about support on offer in the borough.

Hackney Council is staging an online event which brings together experts from Hackney Council for Voluntary Services (CVS) and the Volunteer Centre Hackney, among others.

It wants to find out about people’s concerns as well as signposting them to help that’s available.

The event, on Wednesday, November 9, will give details on how the council is managing the impacts of the economic crisis for residents, staff, businesses and services. People can also find out how they can get involved in helping the community.

The council has published a paper and online booklet with details of places to get help with utility bills, benefits, food and groceries, community food projects and lunch clubs and health. 

Hackney’s Mayor Philip Glanville, who will speak at the event, urged people to get help “as soon as possible,” rather than suffering in silence. He said the council is using schemes such as household support fund to help struggling families.

He said the soaring costs of food, fuel and housing was “leaving people with tough decisions about how to cover their bills.”

It comes as the cabinet member for families, early years and play Cllr Caroline Woodley told a full council meeting “it is a disgrace” that there is “embedded poverty”  in Hackney.

Nearly half the children in Hackney live in poverty, which she  linked to the cost of housing, childcare fees, insecure and low wages.

Cllr Woodley said she was really concerned about the long-term impact of this trauma on families. So far this year, 18,000 of the 32,000 children likely to be in poverty have got support from the council.

She said calls to Citizens Advice have gone up “exponentially” as people asked for help.

And she praised those who had stepped up to help, adding: “So many people have gone above and beyond in Hackney to support our families.”

People can sign up for the event, which runs from 6.30pm to 8pm here: Here to Help: Supporting residents through the cost of living crisis Tickets, Wed 9 Nov 2022 at 18:30 | Eventbrite

There’s also the in-person Winter Warmer event where over 55s can pick up tips on  stayng warm, fire safety and managing bills Tuesday November 1 at St John at Hackney in  Lower Clapton Rd between 11am and 3pm.

It is the first event of its kind post pandemic and the last one in 2019 attracted more than 500 people. There will be a chance to join in arts and crafts and enjoy a free massage.

Visit bit.ly/HackneyCOL for the online booklet.