Ryedale District Council is reminding citizens and businesses that support is available during the second national lockdown.

The government announced a four-week lockdown starting today, which is expected to end on Wednesday 2 December.

With a range of local businesses closing their doors again, Ryedale District Council understands that citizens may struggle to pay bills, or be at risk of losing their homes or businesses in the longer term, due to the impact of COVID-19.

Councillor Keane Duncan, Leader of Ryedale District Council said:

“Our priority throughout this pandemic is to support the citizens of Ryedale, especially those whose lives and livelihoods are most at risk as a result of COVID-19. We’re facing uncertain times. Some homeowners may face financial difficulties and landlords may find themselves with tenants who can’t pay the rent.

“We also have a number of businesses who are struggling to get back on their feet after the first lockdown and news of a second is a major blow to them. Whatever the situation, it’s better to get help sooner rather than later and the council is here to step in with advice and support right now.”

Housing help

Ryedale District Council’s housing team is on hand to provide advice, negotiate with landlords, refer for debt advice, help maximise income, look for charity payments and advise about benefit entitlements and housing law.  They can also refer to a range of specialist support agencies if appropriate.  Landlords can get help and support with communication issues, mediation issues, dealing with tenants in arrears and leasing their property.

If a resident feels that they could face difficulties paying their mortgage or rent, they can phone Ryedale District Council’s housing team on 01653 600666 or send an email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Citizens who are homeless or threatened with homelessness can alternatively access the District Council’s portal which links directly to the housing team: https://live.housingjigsaw.co.uk/accounts/account/register

A housing officer will then get in touch to talk through the options and the support that may be available.

Landlords are also being encouraged to phone or email the housing team for advice. They too can get 1:1 tailored advice and support to navigate these difficult times.

Citizens having difficulty paying rent may also experience difficulty paying their council tax. Ryedale District Council’s Revenues and Benefits team can help advise citizens with council tax issues by signposting them to claim Council Tax Support, or Universal Credit.

General housing information can also be found on https://www.ryedale.gov.uk/living-here/housing/homelessness/homelessness-prevention.html

Business help

Ryedale District Council’s business team is on hand to let businesses know what financial help is available to them. The team can also advise on wider business support and will have the most up-to-date information on this webpage: www.ryedale.gov.uk/covid-19-2020/support-for-business

The page includes a contact form which goes directly to the business team and it has an option to subscribe to the business newsletter.

Community help

Once again, Ryedale communities are pulling together to help those who may struggle to get to the shops for food or medicine. The Ryedale Community Support Organisation is a central resource for residents, partners, organisations and networks across the district.

The RCSO can help: 

  • Organise food and medication collection and offer support with regular telephone befriending and welfare checks
  • Signpost to the appropriate national, regional and local helplines/organisations for specialist support
  • By being an access point for the North Yorkshire County Council COVID-19 Support Fund (available to individuals experiencing financial hardship as a result of the Coronavirus)

To keep up-to-date with the wonderful community work going on in Ryedale during the second national lockdown, visit www.ryedale.gov.uk/covid-19-2020/support-for-the-community