If you need help, advice or support during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, you can find out how to access this from a range of services below.
You can also call us for coronavirus advice between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday on (01226) 774444 or 0808 196 3531 (freephone).
Financial support for food, housing or utilities
We have a COVID-19 hardship fund which includes financial support available through:
- the local welfare assistance scheme - including foodbank referrals and support with living costs
- discretionary housing payments - for a rent top-up for a temporary period
- council tax discretionary relief - additional relief if you already receive council tax support
Find out more about the COVID-19 hardship fund and apply for support.
Test and Trace support payment
If you've been contacted by NHS Test and Trace and told to self isolate, you could be entitled to a support payment if you're unable to work from home and will lose income as a result. Find out about the Test and Trace support payment and apply.
Help and support services
Alzheimer's and dementia
Barnsley Alzheimer's Society
Barnsley Alzheimer's Society provide services including dementia adviser support, memory cafe and singing for the brain. Their experienced advisers can provide you with personalised practical and emotional support for people with dementia and their carers.
- Visit the Alzheimer's Society website
- Phone (01226) 296301
- Email barnsley@alzheimers.org.uk
BIADS (Barnsley Independent Alzheimer's and Dementia Support)
BIADS provides support to those who have any form of dementia, as well as their families and friends.
- Visit the BIADS website
- Phone (01226) 280057
- Email biads@btconnect.com
- Visit the BIADS Facebook page
Autism and learning disabilities
Speakup
Speakup is run by and for people with learning disabilities and autism. They have a range of services that can support you, including the below:
Prioritise Me
Prioritise Me is a training resource to show you how to join the 'priority services register' with your energy company. You'll also find other training presentations and films that will help support you, such as how to save energy and still keep warm, understand energy bills and switch providers.
Peaceful Minds
Peaceful Minds can help you with ideas for things to do when staying at home. You'll also find information about online yoga sessions and quizzes.
For more information
- Visit the Speakup website
- Phone (01709) 720462
- Email team@speakup.org.uk
Befriending
Age UK Barnsley
Age UK Barnsley offer a telephone befriending service for people living in the borough aged 50 and over. They can provide a regular friendly conversation over the phone with one of their volunteer befrienders, to help reduce loneliness and isolation, increase personal wellbeing and to provide companionship.
- Visit the Age UK Barnsley befriending service website
- Phone (01226) 776820
- Email enquiries@ageukbarnsley.org.uk
- Visit the Age UK Barnsley Facebook page
b:friend
b:friend is a charity working to reduce social isolation and loneliness in older people in the Dearne and the wider Barnsley area. Befriending is available to anyone aged 65 or over, living alone who is lonely and/or at risk of social isolation.
- Visit the b:friend website
- Phone 07523 698530
- Email info@letsbfriend.org.uk
- Refer someone to b:friend
Warm Connections (DIAL)
Warm Connections is a service provided by DIAL that can provide emotional and practical support to isolated and vulnerable residents of in the North Area Council area. They also offer an over-the-phone befriending service.
- Visit the Warm Connections website
- Phone (01226) 240273
- Email warm.connections@dialbarnsley.org.uk
Bereavement
Listening Ear
Listening Ear offers support to anyone who has been bereaved or needs additional support; for example, people working in caring roles. It provides support, advice or guidance to anyone who needs it.
- Visit the Listening Ear website
- Phone 0800 048 5224
Carers
Barnsley Carers Service
Barnsley Carers Service is a free-to-access service to support unpaid carers. They can help you with information and advice, one-to-one support, help getting into employment, events and activities, befriending, and assistance with accessing grant funding.
- Visit the Making Space website
- Phone (01226) 288772
- Email barnsleycarers@makingspace.co.uk
- Visit the Making Space Facebook page
- Guidance for carers supporting vulnerable people
Children, young people and families
0-19 Public Health Nursing Service
Barnsley's 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service offer a range of services including antenatal and postnatal support, growth and development assessments, advice about common childhood illness, managing behaviour difficulties, managing behaviour difficulties, and many more.
- Visit the 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service website
- Phone (01226) 774411
- Email 0-19healthteam@barnsley.gov.uk
- Visit the Barnsley 0-19 Public Health Nursing Service Facebook page
Families Information Service (FIS)
Barnsley Family Information Service provides free and confidential information and advice for the whole family.
- Visit the Families Information Service webpage
- Phone 0800 0345 340
- Email infoFIS@barnsley.gov.uk
- Visit Barnsley Families Information Service Facebook page
Family centres
Family centres deliver joined-up early help services for children from pre-birth up to 19 years (or 25 years if the young person has a disability).
- Visit the Barnsley family centres webpage
- Visit the family centre Facebook pages:
Family Lives
Family Lives provide targeted early intervention and crisis support to families who are struggling.
The issues they support families with include family breakdown, challenging relationships and behaviour, debt, and emotional and mental wellbeing.
- Visit the Family Lives website
- Phone 0808 800 2222
- Email askus@familylives.org.uk
Targeted Youth Support Service
The Targeted Youth Support Service brings together a range of agencies who work together to help young people who are taking risks or experiencing difficulties get back on the right path.
- Visit the Targeted Youth Support Service webpage
- Phone 0800 0345 340
- Visit Barnsley Targeted Youth Service Facebook page
Digital support/help to use the internet
If you need some support to use the internet to help you keep in touch with family and friends or shop online, you can request digital support by filling in our online form below.
Our digital champions can provide free digital sessions and over-the-phone support to talk you through how to get started with video calling (such as using FaceTime or Skype), using social media (including Facebook, Twitter and WhatsApp), or how to shop online safely.
Disability support
Barnsley Blind and Partially Sighted Association
Advice, support and guidance to blind and partially sighted people, as well as their family, friends and carers.
- Visit the Barnsley Blind and Partially Sighted Association website
- Phone (01226) 200618
- Email bbpsa@btconnect.com
DIAL (Disability Information Advice Line)
DIAL is a local service supporting disabled people and their families in Barnsley. They provide free confidential information, advice and support to enable local people to live independent lives.
- Visit the DIAL Barnsley website
- Phone (01226) 240273
- Email contact@dialbarnsley.org.uk
- Visit DIAL Barnsley Facebook page
RNIB (Royal National Institute of Blind People)
One of the UK’s leading sight loss charities and the largest community of blind and partially sighted people.
- Visit the RNIB website
- Phone 0303 123 9999
Domestic abuse
IDAS (Independent Domestic Abuse Services)
IDAS is a specialist charity supporting anyone experiencing or affected by domestic abuse or sexual violence.
- Visit the IDAS website
- Phone 03000 110 110
- Email info@idas.org.uk
- Visit the IDAS Facebook page
Inspire to Change
Inspire to Change is a programme for people who have been abusive, controlling or violent towards their partner. The course combines learning and support tailored to an individual’s need and is free for those who are motivated to make a change in their behaviour and work to improve their relationships.
- Visit the Inspire to Change website
- Phone (0114) 2567270
Drugs and alcohol
Recovery Steps
Recovery Steps provide free and confidential support to help people make changes to their drug or alcohol use.
- Visit the Recovery Steps website
- Phone (01226) 779066
- Visit the Humankind Twitter feed
Employment
Enterprising Barnsley
If you've lost your job, are out of work, employed but at risk of redundancy, or employed and want to do some free training to help progress at work or get a new job, Enterprising Barnsley are able to give you free support via their helpdesk.
- Visit the Enterprising Barnsley website
- Phone (01226) 775100
- Email employmentsupport@barnsley.gov.uk
Finance and housing advice
Barnsley Community First Credit Union
Savings and loans credit union.
- Visit the Barnsley Community First Credit Union website
- Phone 03030 300 010
Big Local - Thurnscoe
Community group offering discretionary grants of up to £500 for start-up and small businesses wanting to try something new or adapt their business due to coronavirus.
- Visit the Big Local Thurnscoe website
- Phone 07557 740330
- Find out about apply for a grant up to £500
Citizens Advice Barnsley
Citizens Advice Barnsley offer free, confidential, independent and impartial advice to support with a range of problems.
- Visit the Citizens Advice Barnsley website
- Phone 03444 111 444
Shelter
Expert advice and support around housing, rent and mortgages.
- Visit the Shelter website
- Phone 0808 800 4444
- Read Shelter's coronavirus housing advice
Medication/prescription support
You should contact your GP or pharmacy if you need support to get your medication/prescription as you're self-isolating and you don't have any family, friends or neighbours who can collect it on your behalf.
Many pharmacies offer a delivery service.
If your pharmacy isn't able to deliver your medication, you may be eligible to receive support from a NHS volunteer responder who can collect it for you. Find out if you're eligible for help from a NHS volunteer responder or call 0808 196 3646 to request support.
Emergency support to get your medication/prescription
If your pharmacy isn't able to deliver your medication and you're not able to receive help from a NHS volunteer responder, you can request emergency support from a Barnsley CCG volunteer. To do this you must:
- be registered with a GP (doctor) in the Barnsley borough;
- have already ordered your medication and it must be ready for immediate collection;
- be unable to leave your home to collect your medication and not have anyone who's able to do this on your behalf; and
- only have enough medication at home for three days or less.
To request emergency prescription/medication support call us on (01226) 774444 or 0808 196 3531 (freephone) between 9am and 5pm Monday to Friday.
After requesting support Barnsley CCG will contact you the next working day to arrange for your medication to be collected.
More information
If you're in financial crisis and can't afford to pay for your prescriptions as a direct result of COVID-19, please see our local welfare assistance scheme. You can check whether you need to pay prescription charges on the NHS website or by calling the NHS help with health costs line on 0300 330 1343.
Mental health
24-hour helpline
If you're an adult experiencing emotional distress, you can get confidential help and support 24-hours a day by calling 0800 183 0558.
This helpline provides a listening ear, emotional support and guidance to adults with new or existing mental health conditions, as well as support for carers.
Mind: Rotherham and Barnsley
Mind are a mental health charity supporting those in need by promoting good mental health and offering high quality support so that no-one feels alone when dealing with mental health problems.
- Visit the Mind website
- Phone (01226) 211188
- Visit the Mind Facebook page
Recovery College
Offers a wide range of courses and workshops to improve your wellbeing through learning. Their courses focus on being mentally and physically healthy, staying well and developing the knowledge and strength to overcome the challenges that we can all face at times in our lives.
- Visit the Recovery College website
- Phone (01226) 730433
- Email barnsley.recoverycollege@swyt.nhs.uk
Samaritans
If you need someone to talk to, are having a difficult time, or aren't feeling OK, Samaritans can support you.
- Visit the Samaritans website
- Phone 116 123
- Email jo@samaritans.org (responses can take up to 24 hours)
TADS
TADS offers support for young people with minor mental health problems including anxiety, depression and stress.
- Visit the TADS website
- Phone (01226) 872120
- Visit the TADS Facebook page
Umbrella services
Offers a range of low level mental health support such as self-help courses, telephone advice, counselling and befriending - which link local volunteers to offer support and companionship.
- Phone (01226) 704090
- Email referrals.eipssbarnsley@nhs.net
Older people
Age UK Barnsley
Age UK Barnsley offer a telephone befriending service for people living in the borough aged 50 and over. They can provide a regular friendly conversation over the phone with one of their volunteer befrienders, to help reduce loneliness and isolation, increase personal wellbeing and to provide companionship.
- Visit the Age UK Barnsley befriending service website
- Phone (01226) 776820
- Email enquiries@ageukbarnsley.org.uk
- Visit the Age UK Barnsley Facebook page
b:friend
b:friend is a charity working to reduce social isolation and loneliness in older people in the Dearne and the wider Barnsley area. Befriending is available to anyone aged 65 or over, living alone who is lonely and/or at risk of social isolation.
- Visit the b:friend website
- Phone 07523 698530
- Email info@letsbfriend.org.uk
- Refer someone to b:friend
Sexual health and sexual abuse
Barnsley Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Services (BSARCS)
Specialist service for people whose lives have been affected by rape, sexual abuse, sexual assault or any kind of sexual violence.
- Visit the BSARCS website
- Phone (01226) 320140
- Email info@bsarcs.org
Spectrum Community Health CIC
Spectrum delivers integrated sexual health services across Barnsley, including contraception, screening and tests for sexually transmitted infections, vaccinations for Hepatitis A and B, and advice on unplanned pregnancy and other sexual health issues.
- Visit the Spectrum Community Health CIC website
- Phone 0800 0556442
Stopping smoking
Yorkshire Smoke Free
Yorkshire Smokefree provides expert NHS advice and support for anyone who wants to stop smoking.
- Visit the Yorkshire Smoke Free website
- Phone 0800 612 0011 (free from landlines)
- Phone 0330 660 1166 (free from most mobiles)