We are in the thick of a cost-of-living crisis, and prices are rising at rates we haven’t seen since the 1970s.

Unfortunately, criminals are trying to capitalise on the current situation by targeting households with false offers of rebates, grants, and support payments.

The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) has warned about scam messages claiming to be from local government authorities and the energy regulator Ofgem.

Below are 3 signs to watch out for if you are concerned you’re being scammed.

Beware texts asking you to claim or apply for cost-of-living help

If you’re eligible, you do not need to apply for the payment and you don’t need to call the DWP. They will never ask for personal details by SMS or email.

Councils will never call to ask for your bank details

Many councils, as well as the Local Government, have urged people not to give out their bank details over the phone and to not believe claims about a £150 council tax rebate.

In most cases, the rebate is paid automatically to those who pay their council tax by direct debit, and they should have received their payment by now. Your might have also received a letter from your council asking for your bank details so you can claim the rebate via bank transfer. If you are unsure, please contact your council directly.

If you get a call and you’re not sure the caller is genuine, hang up immediately and call your council directly to report the scam.

Ofgem is not offering a £400 energy rebate

You will never be texted by Ofgem to sign up for anything to receive money or a rebate, ignore any messages that suggest otherwise.

If you’re worried you’ve been scammed, here’s what to do

Below is a checklist of what you should do if you think you’ve been scammed:

• If you’ve already responded to a scam, end all further communication immediately.
• Call your bank directly and cancel any recurring payments – for speed and ease, you can alternatively call the new 159 hotline.
• Report the scam to the police through Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, or report a scam anonymously on the Action Fraud website. If you’re in Scotland, report a scam through Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 164 6000 or on the Advice Direct Scotland website. You can also report scams to Police Scotland on 101.
• If you wish to seek further help, contact Citizens Advice Scams Action via the Citizens Advice website, or call its Scams Action helpline on 0808 250 5050

Are you 16 – 25 and a Wandle resident?

Are you passionate about your community?

Do you want the opportunity to develop your personal and professional skills? Do you want to be part of something bigger?

If so, then we want to meet you!

You are invited to join our youth empowerment collective, a group of young residents who are passionate about their growth and development and influencing their communities.

Come along to an introductory information session to find out how you can get involved.

We will be discussing:
exciting training and employability opportunities
how you can contribute to Wandle News (our seasonal magazine)
funding available for youth community projects that you care about
how you can influence change at Wandle

If you’re interested and would like to learn more, please choose from two online sessions via the survey :

Which session would you like to attend?
Thursday September 5.30 – 6.30pm
Friday 2 September 1 – 2pm

We look forward to meeting you!

Wandle has been recognised by the Domestic Abuse Housing Alliance (DAHA) for our commitment to supporting those enduring domestic abuse with formal accreditation.

Housing is the primary barrier for women attempting to leave an abusive household and is often the highest cause of homelessness among women. As a housing provider, we are ideally placed to spot and respond to domestic abuse as a first point of contact. It is estimated that 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men experience domestic abuse in their lifetime and incidents have only increased in the last couple of years.

DAHA accreditation is the national benchmark for how housing providers should respond to domestic abuse and recognises that housing providers are in a unique position to identify abuse, prevent it and provide support to survivors.

There are eight priority areas that are considered when assessing an organisation’s operation in delivering safe and effective interventions in domestic abuse. As part of the accreditation process, DAHA assessors conducted interviews with our dedicated group from across the business who had been working on achieving accreditation.

Tracey Lees, Chief Executive of Wandle said, “Achieving accreditation is a fantastic achievement for Wandle, and it shows our commitment to residents enduring domestic abuse. Working towards accreditation has been rewarding for our dedicated taskforce, and they have kept the safety and wellbeing of residents at the heart of everything they have done. Wandle will always believe reports of domestic abuse and will investigate any concerns.”

Jessica Tier, Regional Lead for DAHA said: “We are delighted and proud that Wandle has achieved DAHA accreditation demonstrating that they have embedded standards of good practice in their response to domestic abuse.  

“Wandle has committed to continue embedding good practice and building on this foundation to ensure survivors of domestic abuse get the right response, first time, every time.

“Thank you Wandle for your drive and commitment, an example to all housing providers across London and elsewhere in the UK”  

If you are experiencing domestic abuse, please contact us for advice and support by emailing customerservices@wandle.com or calling 0300 2000 120. If you are in immediate danger, please contact the police.