A message from your Housing team
As we move into a new lockdown please follow the guidance to keep yourself and your family safe.
You must:
- Stay at home, except for specific purposes
- Avoid meeting people you do not live with, except for specific purposes
- Close certain businesses and venues
The Government’s overarching health messages remain the same: ‘Hands. Face. Space.’
- Hands – wash your hands regularly and for 20 seconds
- Face – wear a face covering in indoor settings where social distancing may be difficult, and where you will come into contact with people you do not normally meet
- Space – stay two metres apart from people you do not live with where possible, or one metre with extra precautions in place (such as wearing face coverings or increasing ventilation indoors)
Find out what new restrictions are in place.
Find out how lockdown will affect council services.
Important information for Tenants
An update on your housing repairs service
Unfortunately, we are not able to attend non-urgent repair appointments during the second lockdown period. We will keep this situation under regular review.
If you have an emergency repair to report please call 01793 445503.
If you have a non urgent repair you would like to report please use the online booking system which remains open, or if you are unable to access the online system you can call Customer Services on the number above. This will allow you to plan ahead and book an appointment for a future date when we expect normal service to have resumed.
Please note, if you have a repair appointment already scheduled during the lockdown period, we are in the process of calling tenants to reschedule these appointments for December 2020.
You may be eligible for free childcare
Co-operative Nursery Group believe that little things can make a big difference. They know many families are facing difficulties right now, that’s why they’re offering free childcare support to parents and carers who’ve been made redundant due to the pandemic.
Find out if you are eligible and what’s included
Keep warm and safe this winter
Warm & Safe Wiltshire offers advice and support on keeping safe and warm at home. The team can help with any of the following:
- Help and advice relating to insulation, heating and draught proofing
- Available grants and schemes for energy saving measures
- Understanding heating systems and controls
- Warm Home Discount Scheme applications
- Comparing gas and electricity tariffs and switching suppliers
- Switching from prepayment to credit meters
- Managing fuel debt and understanding fuel bills
- Priority Services Register referrals
- Managing issues with damp and condensation
- Benefit entitlement
The Warm & Safe Wiltshire advisors can check your eligibility for the £140 Warm Home Discount rebate on your electricity bill, and can help you apply for it. They can also check for any other sources of financial support including the local Surviving Winter grants. If you need home insulation improvements they can advise on all the schemes available including the new Green Homes Grants. And if you have heating problems, they will be able to advise on the options available to you.
Visit the Warm & Safe Wiltshire website
Financial support through the pandemic
With coronavirus case rates continuing to rise and more people needing to self-isolate, many residents will be experiencing increased financial pressures. If you’re on a low income, unable to work from home and will lose income because you are required to self-isolate, you may be eligible for a £500 Test and Trace Support Payment.
The Test and Trace Payment Support scheme is just one form of financial support available to residents whose income has been affected by coronavirus.
Find information on all the available support via our website
News
Queens Drive regeneration off to a flying start
The coronavirus pandemic has not slowed progress on the first phase of the £34m Queens Drive regeneration project. The project is one of the Council’s major house building projects and the plans involve building 149 affordable homes – 100 new flats and 49 new houses.
Phase 1A involved the demolition of the George Gay Gardens’ which was completed in April last year, and the construction of 32 flats and 15 houses which will be complete by winter 2021.