Support for residents

Surrey County Council Community Helpline: 0300 200 1008

To help direct residents who need support – if friends or family are unable to help – with such things as picking up shopping, prescription collections or having someone who can be a telephone friend, and to other services that can help. Read more information about the helpline. For additional information, please visit, www.surreycc.gov.uk/coronavirus

You can also find out what support you can get if you’re affected by coronavirus on the GOV UK website. Simply press the 'start now' button and answer a few questions to see what support is available to you. 

Domestic abuse advice

Energy bills

For concerns about not being able to pay your energy bills, or unable to top up your meter due to self-isolation, we advise you contact your energy supplier, who have new measures to help support our residents. Ofgem has announced new measures to support customers with prepayment meters and those with energy debt.

You can also contact the Citizens Advice Bureau who can advise you on energy debt relief by calling 0300 330 1164 or by visiting www.caee.org.uk. 

Financial support

Test and trace support payments

Receiving benefits and working? You may be able to apply for the £500 test and trace support payment. Apply for the test and trace self-isolation support payment

Additional support

For support with debt, financial hardship and fuel poverty, please contact Citizens Advice Epsom and Ewell (0300 330 1164) or visit www.caee.org.uk

The Surrey Crisis Fund is a discretionary fund run by Surrey County Council. For more information about the fund and what help is available, please click here.

For financial advice visit www.nationaldebtline.org or call 0808 808 4000 from 9am - 8pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am - 1pm on Saturday.

National Debt Helpline Tel: 0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.org

Food and shopping

How to get food and other essential supplies during the coronavirus pandemic (GOV UK)

Provided by Epsom & Ewell Borough Council

  • Meals at Home is a council-run service that delivers freshly cooked meals right to the door. The service runs 5 days a week with frozen meals available for weekends. For more information or to enquire, please click here.
     
  • Shopping Service: Our service runs weekly in partnership with a local supermarket and provides a home delivery service for your essential food shopping needs. For more information, please click here.

For a full range of support services available from Epsom & Ewell Borough Council, please click here.

Other local organisations who can help

  • NHS Volunteer Responders can help with day-to-day tasks that might have become more difficult during the pandemic, such as shopping for food and essential items. To find whether you are eligible and what kind of help is available, please visit www.nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk/services or call 0808 196 3646 (8am - 8pm, 7 days per week).
     
  • British Red Cross Coronavirus Support Line: 0808 196 3651 (10am - 6pm). If you are lonely, worried, or cannot access essential supplies.
     
  • Surrey Community Helpline: 0300 200 1008 for those who have previously shielded or classed as vulnerable who have been unable to secure a priority shopping service. If you are unable to rely on the support of friends and family, the community helpline may be able to help you secure a delivery slot. Please call or complete this form.
     
  • Epsom and Ewell Food Bank: For individuals in a food crisis, help is available by contacting Citizen’s Advice Epsom and Ewell on 0300 330 1164 or by visiting www.caee.org.uk

Mental health

Information and resources

Talking therapies

Local mental heath support

Specialist mental health services

Specialist services and advice for children

Prescriptions

General advice

Do not visit your pharmacy if you or someone you live with has COVID-19 symptoms. If possible, order your prescription at least seven days before you need it. Only order as much medicine as you need. Stockpiling medicine can be dangerous and lead to shortages for other people.

If you cannot get to the pharmacy yourself, you are advised wherever possible to ask friends, family or neighbours to collect on your behalf. Advice on collecting a prescription for someone else

For more information, you can also read this article on Surrey Matters: Picking up your medicines and prescriptions (Published: 09 April 2020)

Pandemic Delivery Service

Following a decision by the Department of Health and Social Care, NHS England and NHS Improvement have extended the Pandemic Delivery Service for people who have been notified of the need to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace. This service will be commissioned until 23:59 on 30 September 2021. Only people who have been notified of the need to self-isolate by NHS Test and Trace are eligible for this free service.

Find a pharmacy

Check whether your pharmacy offers a free prescription delivery service. Patients will need to check with their pharmacy if this is a free service or not, and be prepared to pay a small fee for this service.

The NHS Volunteer Scheme can arrange for volunteers to pick up your medicines and deliver them to you. Find out if you’re eligible for support from the NHS Volunteer Responders programme by calling 0808 196 3646 (8am - 8pm, 7 days per week) or visit their website.

British Red Cross Coronavirus Support Line:

0808 196 3651 (10am - 6pm). If you are lonely, worried, or cannot access essential supplies. 

Transport

The Council can provide urgent transport for hospital and medical appointment between 9-11am or after 2.30pm through the Transport from Home service. For more information or to enquire, please visit this page on our website.

For those over retirement age requiring a medical transport service, Age Concern Epsom and Ewell can also provide local transport. For more information visit www.ageconcernepsom.org.uk or call 01372 732456.

Young families

Other support services

  • Community Alarm: Stay safe and independent with help at the push of a button. Our range of services include personal alarms, bogus caller alters and family monitoring to keep an eye on your loved one.
  • Home Improvement Scheme: For home adaptations that improve safety in the home.

Additional help and support

Surrey Information Point

Surrey Information Point hosts a range of information on support and services available in your local community, to help you stay independent, safe and well. Whether you or someone you know is looking for equipment for your home, meal deliveries, local virtual groups to join to reduce loneliness, financial support, or help if you’re looking after someone – this information is all in one place. Visit the website for more information.

WEA East Surrey Courses

These courses are available to everyone living in Epsom and Ewell and most of them are free. Includes: volunteering and work courses, courses for schooling and parenting and employment in schools, courses for health and wellbeing and skills for life. For more information, visit https://www.wea.org.uk/eastsurrey

Healthwatch Surrey

Healthwatch Surrey is an independent organisation which gives people in Surrey a strong voice to help improve, shape and get the best from local health and social care services. For more information and advice, please visit their website.

Fraud and scamming

  • Cyber criminals are preying on fears of the coronavirus and sending ‘phishing’ text messages that try and trick users into clicking on a bad link. Read the full Texting Scam leaflet
     
  • COVID Fraud Hotline: 0800 587 5030. A new hotline has been launched to stop fraudsters illegally targeting COVID stimulus schemes. In an initiative between government and the independent charity Crimestoppers, the public can now call anonymously and free of charge to report suspected fraudulent activity.
     
  • There is more advice on the Neighbourhood Watch website about COVID-19 scams and signs to help you avoid them.

Do you feel isolated and could benefit from a regular chat?

Support for older residents

Social prescribing

If you’re experiencing loneliness or low mood, or you’re looking to make lifestyle changes this winter, you can talk to a social prescribing link worker. A link worker will connect you to local services and activities to help you achieve your goals. Ask your GP surgery for a referral or visit www.surreyinformationpoint.org.uk and search ‘social prescribers’ for self-referral options.

For our carers

For those who have lost a loved one:

  • The Cruse Bereavement Care service offers free and confidential one-to-one support to adults, children and young people. Visit www.cruse.org.uk or call 0808 808 1677.

Dementia support

For advice, guidance and support in relation to finance, housing and legal

For residents with learning difficulties and their carers

For a list of other support services and the opportunity to volunteer