Benefits and money advice
We provide homeowners and tenants with advice and support about benefits and debt.
We are also partners with debt advice charity StepChange which offers free and confidential debt advice to residents over the phone and online.
Our Financial Inclusion Team offers more in depth one-to-one support with budgeting, making the most of your income and reducing debts.
Benefits advice
We can provide advice and support on issues relating to benefits such as:
- which benefits you may be entitled to
- how to go about claiming them
- help with completing benefits claims forms
- what the benefit cap means for you
- if you claim Housing Benefit, what the ‘bedroom tax’ means for you
- if you receive Council Tax benefit, what the new local contribution requirements mean for you
- what the switch to Universal Credit means for you and how direct payments will affect the way you pay your rent.
Debt advice
We can help you manage any debts you have. If you are having problems paying your rent or mortgage, or are struggling to repay debts from credit cards, fuel payments, overdrafts or bills from mail order catalogues, we can offer practical guidance. The sooner we talk to you, the sooner we can help you to resolve the problem.
If you owe us rent, it is important that you respond to us when we try to contact you by phone, letter, email or other means, and that you keep any appointments we make to meet with you. If you cannot pay what you owe, we can make an agreement for you to pay it off in stages.
Budgeting advice
We can help you to manage your money better by:
- working with you to develop a budget for your household
- helping you to identify suitable bank accounts and related financial products, including affordable credit
- referring you to specialist agencies for advice on utilities, welfare benefits, debt, hardship grants and help with jobs and training.