Support for your local residents

• Share our support line: British Red Cross’ free coronavirus support line is open 7 days a week for anyone needing emotional support, feeling lonely or worried, and in need of speaking to a friendly voice. Your staff and caseworkers may also wish to refer local residents to the support line if they think they might benefit from using it.The number is 0808 196 3651 and the line is open daily from 10am to 6pm.

• Resources to cope with loneliness and wellbeing: Before Covid-19,loneliness affected one in five people across the UK and we know that the pandemic has exacerbated the issue. We’ve created a bank of resources to sign-post local residents to, on how to help yourself and others cope with loneliness.

British Red Cross services in your area

• Engaging with the local voluntary and community sector and supporting the regional voluntary response, mobilising volunteers, and identifying unmet need via the Voluntary and Community Sector Emergencies Partnership.
• Identifying unmet need and vulnerability: The British Red Cross Covid-19 Vulnerability Index which identifies vulnerable groups within local authorities and wards across the UK, including those who fall outside the government’s criterion for ‘shielded’ people. Our aim is to inform local approaches in identifying and pre-empting demand for support. 
• Supporting hospitals and patients with discharge, transporting and resettling people back into their homes, ensuring they have food and other equipment to support independence plus contacting family or carers to let them know they are home. We also provide a 24 hour follow up call.
• Delivering wheelchairs, to support hospital discharge, independence after an operation, and maintenance of physical mobility during illness or injury. 
• Teaming up with food banks to help deliver essentials to those who rely on support.
• A Hardship Fund which provides one-off, small cash grants to people facing financial hardship because of the Covid-19 emergency (referrals via partner organisations).
• Supporting refugees and people who are seeking asylum in the area, making sure they have access to healthcare and safe accommodation, financial support and assistance in family reunion.

If you have any questions about our work in your area or more widely in the UK, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. To see all our latest work and activities, you can follow us on Twitter via @RedCrossPolicy.