Primary Times - the definitive what’s on and where to go family guide of activities and events for children of primary school age. Things to do with your kids during the school holidays including arts and craft activities, music and theatre for children, parties, competitions, days out, and family attractions along with term time drama schools, dance classes, after school clubs and sports activities. Things to do at a place near you!
Cost of living advice - Devon
We know that the 'Cost of Living' crisis is creating widespread concern for everyone and have pulled together some useful links to organisations and websites that can provide help and advice to families in Devon - some of which are local and others which are national.
Please keep checking back as we will keep updating this page with more information and offers as they become available. Also if you head over to our Instagram - we have created an Offers/Free highlight for current offers for families in Devon.
If you are a local organisation that can offer help and would like to be featured, then please contact our editor at lisa@writeplacemedia.co.uk
Contents
Advice from Devon, Torbay and Plymouth Councils
Childcare and holiday activities
Local authorities have created their own online hubs for ‘cost of living’ information as follows:
Devon County Council: www.devon.gov.uk/cost-of-living
Torbay Council: www.torbay.gov.uk/benefits/cost-of-living/
Plymouth Council: www.plymouthonlinedirectory.com/costoflivingsupport
Other useful council sites:
Devon County Council: www.devon.gov.uk/uk/educationandfamilies/family-support
Baby Bank Network Exeter (www.babybankexeter.com) is an organisation that collects good quality pre-loved and new baby and children’s items, redistributing them to families in need, free of charge, via a referral system through health visitors, social workers or support workers. Visit the website to find out more about how to be referred or make a donation.
Childcare and holiday activities
If you want to find out more about any help with childcare costs that may be available visit www.gov.uk/help-with-childcare-costs
Guidance on choosing and paying for childcare is available from Devon's Family Information Service
The Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme aims to support children to eat more healthily, be more active over the school holidays and have a greater knowledge of health and nutrition as well as be more engaged with school and other local services. Find out more about eligibility here: www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/family-support/haf-programme/
Sites such as Pricerunner (www.pricerunner.com) allows you to compare prices on 2.6 million products from over 6000 UK shops to find the best deal for you for free.
Camel Camel Camel (www.uk.camelcamelcamel.com) is a free Amazon price tracker which will provide you with email alerts if a required item drops to a lower price that you have chosen.
The Moneyhelper (www.moneyhelper.org.uk ) consumer-facing service provides free and impartial money and pensions guidance for people all across the UK and includes budget planners and live chat tools.
They have a particularly useful guide on how to teach kids about money in age appropriate ways at https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/family-and-care/talk-money/how-to-talk-to-your-children-about-money
Cashback sites with free memberships such as TopCashback (www.topcashback.co.uk), Quidco (www.quidco.com) and Kidstart (www.kidstart.co.uk) allow you to receive money back when making purchases online from many big-name stores
Food Banks
The Trussell Trust website (www.trusselltrust.org) contains details of how to find the food banks that they run that are closest to you as well as providing access to free helplines and how to volunteer
The Independent Food Aid Network (www.foodaidnetwork.org.uk/our-members) map over 1000 independent food banks across the UK
Many food banks will also detail their priority items on their individual websites as well as on their social media if they have them
Useful websites:
The Energy Saving Trust website (www.energysavingtrust.org.uk) have advice on how to make your home more energy efficient, reduce your carbon emissions and lower your energy bills including tools and calculators
Money Saving Expert (www.moneysavingexpert.com) is an editorially independent website with lots of information, tools and forums to help with a wide variety of personal finance issues.
New additions to their site include their Cost of Living section and information on how to keep warm this winter (www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/cost-of-living and www.moneysavingexpert.com/utilities/heat-the-human-not-the-home-save-energy)
The Government’s Help For Households website (www.helpforhouseholds.campaign.gov.uk) contains details of the cost of living support that you may be eligible for.
National Debtline (www.nationaldebtline.org) provide a wide variety information on managing debt, seeking help from other organisations, a Digital Advice Tool to get instant tailored advice and a live chat function.
National charity Turn2Us (www.turn2us.org) provides information on how to gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial assistance.
The Pinpoint website (www.pinpointdevon.co.uk) is a great resource for identifying community services in Devon with a special section exclusively for help and support for parents and families.
Find out more about eligibility and how to access free school meal provision at:
Devon Council: www.devon.gov.uk/educationandfamilies/school-information/school-meals
Torbay Council: www.torbay.gov.uk/schools-and-learning/fsm/
Citizens Advice (www.citizensadvice.org.uk or 0808 223 1133) are an independent organisation specialising in confidential information and advice to assist people with legal, debt, consumer, housing and other problems.
The Citizens Advice Devon website can be found at www.cabdevon.org.uk
They also have local branches as follows:
- Torridge, North, Mid and West Devon Citizens Advice (www.ruraldevoncab.org.uk or 0808 27 87 999)
- Exeter Citizens Advice (www.exetercab.org.uk or 0808 278 7845)
- Newton Abbot (Teignbridge) Citizens Advice (www.citizensadviceteignbridge.org.uk or 03444 111 444)
- East Devon Citizens Advice (www.citizensadviceeastdevon.org or 01395 265 070/ 03444 111 444)
- Citizens Advice South Hams (www.southhamscab.org.uk or 0808 278 79 48)
- Citizens Advice Torbay (www.citizensadvicetorbay.org.uk or 0808 2787859)
- Plymouth Citizens Advice Plymouth (www.citizensadviceplymouth.org.uk)
As well as being free to join and borrow books from, the Libby App also enables members to download free eBooks, eNewspapers and eMagazines straightaway. Many local libraries also provide free computer access and run free and low-cost events such as LEGO® Clubs and craft and storytelling sessions.
Find out more at www.devonlibraries.org.uk and www.torbaylibraries.org.uk
The NHS website has information on how to access mental health services and where to get urgent help (www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/mental-health-services)
Mental health charity Mind have lots of advice for anybody looking to obtain support or wanting to know how to start the process of getting help
Young Minds are a mental health charity for children and young people