Support in Greater Manchester
At Regenda, we want to help our residents as much as we can. If it is something that we can't help with, we work with lots of other businesses and charities who can support you.
Click below to see the range of support available in Greater Manchester.
Crisis cafes
Crisis Cafes are an alternative to A&E and provide a listening ear, a safe space, crisis and recovery interventions and referrals to ongoing support services. Crisis cafes offer support in areas like:
- Debt advice, benefits and welfare services
- Domestic violence support
- Access to housing and homeless prevention services
- Substance misuse and addiction support
- Health, wellbeing and counselling services
- Access to peer support worker for additional, follow up support.
In Greater Manchester, your Crisis Cafes are:
Bolton: Bolton Listening Lounge (+18)
Telephone: 01204 917739
Email: boltonll@family-action.org.uk
Opening times: 3pm-10pm, every day of the week, (inc weekends and bank holidays)
Address: YMCA BOLTON, 125 Deansgate, Bolton, BL1 1HA
Please call or email ahead of visiting.
Manchester: No. 93 Crisis Café (18+)
Telephone: 0161 271 0339
Alternative Telephone: 07778012838
Email: GMMHCrisisCafe@gmmh.nhs.uk
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 6.30pm-1am (inc Bank Holidays)
Saturday and Sunday, 3pm-1am
Address: No.93 Harpurhey Wellbeing Centre, 93 Church Lane, M9 5BG
Please call or email ahead of visiting.
Stockport: Open Door (+18)
Telephone: 0161 549 9717
Email: opendoorstockport@makingspace.co.uk
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 10am-5:30pm
Saturday to Sunday, 12pm-5pm
Address: Progress House,35A Adswood Lane, Stockport, SK26RE
Tameside: Safe Tameside (18+)
Telephone: 01614 706104
Opening times: Monday to Friday 1pm-8pm.
Address: The Anthony Seddon Centre, 12 George Street, Ashton-under-Lyne, OL6 6AQ
Opening times: Saturday 10am-3pm
Address: Finding Rainbows Charity, 9 Fletcher Street, Ashton under Lyne, OL6 6BY
Offers a drop-in service (until 7pm)
Wigan and Leigh: Crisis Harbour (+16)
Opening times: Thursdays and Fridays 3pm-11pm,
Saturdays 12pm-6pm, Sundays 3pm-11pm
Address: 6-8 George Street, Atherton, M46 0EL
Household support fund
The Household Support Fund is money from the Department for Work and Pensions. It helps people with low incomes who are struggling with money.
New funding is available from 1st April 2025 to 31st March 2026. Councils are using this to support people and families who need extra help.
To find out how your council is using the fund, visit your local council’s website.
Support for Domestic Abuse
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Local support:
Hourglass: 24/7 phone line: 0808 808 8141. Text service: 07860 052906 Hourglass (this is a link to another website.)
End the Fear: 0161 636 7525 Rochdale - End The Fear (this is a link to another website) Be Free: 01282 726000 BE FREE (PDVI) - PAC (p-a-c.org.uk) (this is a link to another website)
Bridges: 0800 328 0967/0161 331 2552 Bridges domestic abuse service in Greater Manchester - Jigsaw Support (jigsawhomes.org.uk) (this is a link to another website)
Trafford Domestic Abuse Service: 0161 872 7368 Trafford Domestic Abuse Services
National helplines:
0808 2000 247 (for everyone)
0808 801 0327 (bespoke advice for those who identify as male)
Support for Hate Crime
Local support:
Oldham Council - 24/7 Stop Hate helpline: 0800 138 1625. Oldham Council Hate Crime support page (this is a link to another website).
Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) - Lets End Hate Crime (this is a link to another website).
Rochdale Council - 0300 303 8878. Report a hate crime (this is a link to another website).
Tameside Council - Report hate crime to Tameside Council (this is a link to another website).
Cheshire East - Hate Crime (this is a link to another website)
Cheshire West & Chester - Report it (this is a link to another website).
Trafford Council - How to report a hate crime (this is a link to another website).
National support:
Stop Hate UK - Stop hate. Start here (this is a link to another website).
True Vision - Stop Homophobic, Transphobic, Racial, Religious & Disability Hate Crime (this is a link to another website).
Crimestoppers - 0800 555 111. Report anonymously (this is a link to another website).
Victim Support - Support line: 08081 689 111. Support for victims of crime (this is a link to another website).
Equality Advisory Support - Support line: 0808 800 0082. Live chat available (this is a link to another website).
Citizens Advice Bureau - Advice available around hate crime and how to report it (this is a link to another website).
Tell MAMA - Support line: 0800 456 1226. SMS: 01157 070 007. Whatsapp: 0734 184 6086. Further contact information (this is a link to another website.)
GALOP - Supporting LGBT+ people who have experienced abuse and violence (this is a link to another website).
Support into work
Get Oldham Working is a Council-run service that helps Oldham residents find jobs, apprenticeships, and training opportunities.
Where: Get Oldham Working, 22 Union Street, Oldham, OL1 1BE
What they offer:
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Help finding work or training
-
Access to local job vacancies
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Support with apprenticeships and traineeships
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Feedback on job applications and CVs
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Help gaining new skills and building confidence
You can also get support with health and wellbeing, including gym passes, therapy, and nutrition advice.
To access their support, visit the Get Oldham Working website (this link will open in a new tab and take you away from our site).
There's also more information about how to find work on our dedicated page: here
Wellbeing support
If you're facing an emergency, you might be able to get Local Welfare Support. This can help with short-term needs or help you stay in your home.
To check if you can get support or to make a claim:
- Visit Oldham Council's Website to find out more
-
Or call their team, 0161 770 5468 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm)
Help with energy bills
- Rochdale Household Support Fund
- Rossendale Household Support Fund
- Tameside Household Support Fund
- Trafford Household Support Fund
- Warm Homes Oldham
- British Gas Energy Trust
- Simple Energy Advice
- Help with benefits and money - Oldham
- Citizens Advice - Energy Advice every Tuesday from 9am to 3pm at Oldham Library, Greaves Street, Oldham, OL1 1AL
- Age UK Oldham - General Advice, Money and Benefits
- Welfare Benefits advice and representation – Greater Manchester
- Entitledto - Benefits Calculator
- Scottish Power Community Hardship Fund
- Ovo Energy
- E.ON Next Energy Fund
- Bulb Energy Fund
- Octopus Energy
Help with food
Food support in your area
Oldham:
Oldham Foodbank
Unit B, Prince of Wales Industrial Units, Vulcan Street, Oldham, OL1 4ER
Open: Monday - Friday, 9am - 3pm
Phone: 0161 622 1061
Email: Info@oldham.foodbank.org.uk
Shaw & Crompton Churches Together, The Salvation Army,
Farrow Street East, Shaw, OL2 8QY
Open: Monday, 11am - 1pm
Phone: 0161 622 1061
Email: Info@oldham.foodbank.org.uk
Rochdale:
Rochdale Foodbank
14-16 Newgate, Rochdale, OL16 1BA.
Open: Friday 11:00am - 1pm
Phone: 0300 102 1646
Monday - Thursday, 10:30am - 12:30pm
Branches Christian Fellowship (Smallbridge Methodist Church)
1 Wesley Street, Smallbridge, Rochdale, OL12 9RW
Open: Saturday, 10:30am -12pm
Phone: 01706 655974
Littleborough Library
Hare Hill Park, Littleborough, OL15 9HE
Open:
Monday 9am - 5pm
Tuesday 9am - 6pm
Wednesday - closed
Thursday 9am - 5pm
Friday 9am - 5pm
Saturday 9am - 1pm
Heywood Foodbank (Heywood Baptist Church)
Open: Monday's & Friday's 10am - 12pm
Chapel St, Heywood OL10 1LE
Middleton - Lighthouse Project
S6b/c Middleton Shopping Centre, Limetree Road, Middleton, M24 4EL
Open: Monday's & Thursday's 11am - 1pm
Phone: 0161 643 1163
Find a Food Bank near you:
Free Holiday Clubs
Families with children who get free school meals can join free holiday clubs. These clubs offer healthy meals and fun activities during school holidays.
All councils offer this support. To book a place, contact your local council.
Other Support Services:
- Rochdale Household Support Fund
- Rossendale Household Support Fund
- Tameside Food Partnership
- Tameside Household Support Fund
- Trafford Household Support Fund
- Gov.uk Search
- Turn2u
Help with school uniforms
Support with school uniforms depends on your child’s school and your local council.
If you need help, contact your child’s school directly to ask what support is available.
Help with rent
Discretionary Housing Payments
- Discretionary Housing Payments | Housing Benefit and help to pay your rent | Oldham Council
- About Discretionary Housing Payments | Discretionary Housing Payment | Rochdale Borough Council
- Extra help with your housing costs | Rossendale Borough Council
- Discretionary Housing Payments (tameside.gov.uk)
- Discretionary housing payments (trafford.gov.uk)
- Vicars Relief Fund
Email: vrf@stmartinscharity.org.uk
Phone: 020 3795 5746 (voicemail only) - M3 Project - Providing accomodation and support to young homeless or sofa-surfing people aged 16-21
Help with white goods and household items
- Lancashire County Council Essential Household Goods Support Scheme
- Rochdale Household Support Fund
- Glasspool Charity Trust
- Renew - Recycle for Greater Manchester : Recycle for Greater Manchester
- United Utilities Trust Fund
- Oldham - Bulky Bob's Furniture World
Unit A, Oldham Central Trading Park, Oldham OL1 4EB
Tel: 0161 665 031 - Sawn Furniture Hub - Oldham
- Arkwright Street Renew Shop
Sell pre-loved household items donated by residents at their local household waste recycling centre.
Arkwright Street, Chadderton, Oldham, OL9 9ALZ
Help for people with disabilities and special needs
There are several organisations offering support for families with disabilities in Greater Manchester.
- Contact is a charity that offers information, advice, support, workshops and events for families with disabled children. Find out more on the Contact website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- The Birkdale Trust grants for people with a hearing impairment. Find out more on the Birkdale Trust website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- Children today provides specialised equipment and services. Find out more what they can offer on the Children today website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- Family Action provides support for families living with poverty, ill health and social isolation. Find out more on the Family Action website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- Family Fund offers support for lower-income families with a severely disabled child. Find out more about Family Fund, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- Meningitis Now is a charity that supports people and families to deal with the impact of meningitis. Find out more on the Meningitis Now website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- New Life Foundation provides support for seriously disabled or terminally ill children. Find out more on the New Life Foundation website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- Turn to us suppports people to access to welfare benefits and charitable grants. Find out more on the Turn to Us website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
- The Variety Club: to provide vital daily items for families with disabled children. Find out more about what you can access from The Variety Club on their website, here (this is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
Help for families with young children
Healthy Start Scheme:
If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be eligible for the Healthy Start scheme. It helps you buy healthy food like milk, fruit, and vitamins. Apply for Healthy Start Support, here. (This is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)
Emergency Essentials for Children:
If your family is going through a tough time, the BBC Children in Need Emergency Essentials Programme can help. It provides things like:
- Beds and bedding
- Cookers and fridges
- Clothes and baby equipment.
You need a support worker or organisation to apply for you. Learn more at the Family Fund Service website, here. (This is a link to another website and will open in a new window.)