News

A 24 hour helpline has been set up to support vulnerable people in Kent who need urgent help, supplies or medication.

The helpline – called Kent Together - provides a single, convenient point of contact for anyone in the county who is in urgent need of help during the Coronavirus outbreak. It is a collaboration between KCC, central Government, District, Borough and local councils, the voluntary and community sector, the NHS, emergency services and other partners to ensure help is at hand for vulnerable people.

It is also the place to report your concerns about the welfare of someone else.

Kent County Council Leader Roger Gough said: “In every district and borough throughout Kent and Medway there has been an incredible and heartening response to this pandemic, and we have a huge army of remarkable, public-spirited volunteers who are ready and willing to help each other through these challenging times.

“We now need to make sure that these vital resources are directed to where they are most needed. The new central helpline will link to Community Hubs across the county and ensure that we are effectively working hand in hand with the amazing teams out in the heart of communities in every part of Kent.”

Kent Together is being coordinated by Kent County Council which will feed the information through the network of volunteers, district and borough council teams and local support groups, to ensure people get the support they need, when they need it.

People’s needs will be assessed and staff will liaise with Community Hubs in the districts to prioritise those who need urgent help.

Mr Gough added: “At this unprecedented time, we all need to support each other to cope with the changes to our lifestyles we’ve had to make in order to delay the spread of Covid-19.

“I appreciate those radical changes have brought about difficulties and uncertainty and that we are all having to live our lives very differently.

“I hope with the launch of this service we can help bring some sense of familiarity and comfort back to those who desperately need it.”

If you are vulnerable and have an urgent need that cannot be met through existing support networks, you can contact the Kent Together helpline at kent.gov.uk/KentTogether  or by calling on 03000 41 92 92. It is a 24 hour service.

Kent County Council also has a page on its website answering frequently-asked questions and the very latest Coronavirus information on its service updates page.

Visit kent.gov.uk to find out more.