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Updated: Friday 26 June 2020
We are working closely with community, voluntary and statutory service providers in Belfast to make sure that our residents’ needs can be supported during coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
If you have a letter from your GP advising you to shield, and have no other ways of getting food, for example, if you can’t leave your house to buy food, you can continue to receive a weekly food parcel under the Department for Communities (DfC) Scheme until Friday 31 July 2020.
If we have been delivering your weekly food parcel, you will continue to receive it until the week beginning Monday 27 July.
If you are a new applicant to the scheme – you have a shielding letter but you have not yet registered for the weekly food parcel scheme - you can call the Regional COVID-19 Community Helpline on 0808 802 0020. They will transfer you to the Belfast Health and Social Care Trust to check you are eligible. They can also help you with other support you might need.
We support services across Belfast which can provide benefits, debt and employment advice, as well as being able to check whether you would be eligible for support by your local foodbank. Find contact details of your closest independent advice service.
You can also contact DfC’s regional Make the Call Team. They can do a benefits check to make sure you and everyone in your household are getting all benefits, supports and services you’re entitled to.
Email makethecall@dfcni.gov.uk, call 0800 232 1271 or text ADVICE to 67300.
Where possible, you should ask a family member, friend or neighbour to collect your prescription. If this isn’t possible, you should contact your local pharmacy, to check if they can deliver your prescription. Most GP surgeries will now ask you when ordering which pharmacy you would like to collect your prescription from.
For information about volunteer support to help with collecting prescription medicine, visit www.communityni.org/help or www.volunteernow.co.uk
Drugs and alcohol
For drug and alcohol support visit http://services.drugsandalcoholni.info/
Mental health and emotional wellbeing
For mental health and emotional wellbeing support visit https://www.publichealth.hscni.net/
Gambling
Dunlewey Addiction Services operate a free to call gambling helpline from 9am to 11pm. To contact the helpline, telephone 0800 0886 725
The Northern Ireland Council for Voluntary Action (NICVA) has developed an interactive database which you can use to find organisations in your area that are providing support during the COVID-19 (coronavirus) pandemic. These organisations from the voluntary and community sector can provide support in a number of ways, for example:
You can also email areasupport@belfastcity.gov.uk with your contact details. We will do our best to advise you,or to signpost you to other services in your area that can help.