Latest News on Public Health, Community and Cost of Living Support from Isle of Wight Council

Cost of Living support

Use our cost of living web pages to see what’s available near you. You can also call us on 01983 823134. 

Contact Citizens Advice Isle of Wight on 0800 144 88 48 or enquiries@iwcab.org.uk. Their advice is free, confidential and independent. They can help with debt, benefits, legal advice and much more. 

Contact The Footprint Trust for free advice or call them 01983 822282. 

Use the connect4communities website to see what other support is available in your area.

The government Help for Households website has information about help with childcare costs, benefits and many other schemes. 

Anyone can join a community pantry or larder

Join a community pantry or larder and for £5 a week, receive over £15 worth of food. Membership is free and anyone can join. 

Contact details for pantries and larders:

  • 01983 296592 East Cowes Community Pantry
  • 07961 959003 Ventnor Community Pantry
  • 01983 563732 Ryde Community Pantry
  • 07300 329610 Pyle Street Pantry, Newport
  • 01983 248170 Pan Community Larder (for East Newport residents only)
  • 01983 716020 The Aspire Mobile Community Pantry:
    • Monday 10.30am to 12.30pm, Northwood Cemetery, Cowes, PO31 7ER.
    • Wednesday 10.30am to 12.30pm, The Lighthouse Church, Sandown, Hope House, Fort St, Sandown PO36 8BA.
    • Friday 3.30am to 5.30pm, West Wight Sports & Community Centre, Moa Place Freshwater PO40 9XH.

Get more information about community pantries and larders on our website

Find a Warm Welcome Space

There’s a great network of Warm Welcome Spaces across the Island. These friendly spaces are run by the community for the community. 

In a Warm Welcome Space you might find support and advice, tea and coffee, other refreshments, games, crafts and you’ll always find a friendly face and someone to chat to. 

Discover a Warm Welcome Space near you

Apply now for community grant funding

Applications are now open for Island community and voluntary organisations, town, parish and community councils to apply for the final round of community grant funding to support Islanders with the cost of living.

We are looking for:

  • Schemes providing immediate support to residents
  • Innovative, sustainable schemes that could be seed funded

If your schemes can offer this and knowledge and skill sharing that residents can use in the future, that would be even better!

A couple of the other current schemes include:

  • Slow cooker cookery lessons with Aspire Ryde
  • Living on the Veg at Newport Congregational Church
  • Bereavement support group Community Spirited
  • Cooking on a budget lessons with Bridges at the Apex Church

The community grants are paid for from the current grant round from the Department for Work and Pensions Household Support Fund which comes to an end on the 31 March.

Applications close 12pm 9 February 2024.  

Apply now for community grant funding

Free support workers day this Saturday

This Saturday 27 January the NHS and Isle of Wight Council are holding a FREE Support Workers Day. It will take place in the Education Centre at St Mary’s Hospital, Newport, PO30 5TG

The day is for Support and Care Workers across the health and social care system on the Island.

A variety of activities and information will be available to help you with personal and professional development as well as selfcare and wellbeing. These include:

  • Reiki massage
  • Dance therapy
  • Career progression and apprenticeships
  • Your physical health
  • Professional Development
  • Learning for your role
  • Mental Health
  • And much more!
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Please book in advance so the team can manage numbers. 

Book your place on the Support and Care Workers Day

Have your say on our budget and council tax for 2024 to 2025

Every year, we spend £384 million providing public services that you, your family and friends use every day. Please let us know what you think about our 2024 to 2025 budget and council tax plans.
We won’t get all the information from government that we need to complete the budget until the New Year. As we continue to work on the budget, we would like to hear from you about what you think. 
This year we’ve seen a continued rise in the cost of living. As things become more expensive so do our costs. At the same time, demand for our services grows. 
We need to hear your views on our council tax proposals and whether we are prioritising resources in the right areas. It should take less that 5 minutes. 
This survey runs until 26 January 2024.

Fill out the survey to tell us what you think

Free app trial for parents who are separating

Separated parents on the Island are among the first in the country to have access to a new app. The app is designed to help parents self-manage their separation before it’s rolled out nationally in the spring.  

Separating better has been created by the UK’s leading relationship research and innovation charity OnePlusOne, with funding from the Department for Works and Pensions. It features tools to help with many practical elements of separation such as budgeting and legal arrangements. It also offers parents a template to create their parenting plans to help them agree on how to co-parent their children effectively.

An in-app quiz helps parents to understand where they are emotionally in their separation journey. A series of work it out videos help parents learn communication skills which they can use to co-parent effectively and keep their children’s best interests at the heart of their decision-making.

How to get started:

  • Download the free app
  • Take the emotion readiness quiz
  • Access all of the app features for free as you progress through your separation journey


Only two areas in the country will have access to this app ahead of its national launch in spring 2024, and OnePlusOne is keen to hear the views of parents who use it. Download the app for more information about how to offer feedback.

Parents living on the Island can also access several other free digital resources created by OnePlusOne. These provide support for a range of parental relationship issues, including becoming parents, coping with stress, debt and relationships and learning to argue better. You can find out more on our Family Information Hub.

For more information about Separating better, email supporting.parents@iow.gov.uk

Download the free Separating better app

MMR vaccination reminder

Cases of measles are on the rise in the UK.

Parents and guardians are being encouraged to check if their children have had both MMR vaccine doses. This is essential to protect them against three diseases: measles, mumps and rubella.  

One in ten children in England are not up to date with their vaccinations. This means they are at risk of becoming seriously unwell. To become fully protected, children need two doses of the MMR vaccine. The first at age one year and the second at three years and four months.

To find a child’s vaccine status, parents and guardians can check their child’s red book or ask their GP practice. If your child has not had one or both doses of the MMR vaccine, you can make an appointment for them to receive any outstanding doses.  The advice also applies to anyone who has not received both doses of the MMR vaccine in their lifetime. You can contact your GP practice to discuss catching up.

It’s never too late to get the MMR vaccine.

Get more information about MMR on the NHS website

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