Money problems

If you are having money problems it is important that you don’t ignore the problem – they won’t go away if you bury your head in the sand or stop opening your mail. There are plenty of organisations such as the Citizens Advice Bureau you can go to for help and support. They will give you impartial advice but please don’t be tempted to borrow money from a doorstep lender. If after taking advice, a loan is the best solution, the Citizens Advice Bureau will be able to suggest the safest options.

Try to prioritise your bills in the following order: rent or mortgage, council tax, utilities and then food. If you owe rent or council tax you need to take immediate action as this can be very serious. Contact the council or your landlord immediately. They will usually listen and agree a repayment plan you can afford. If you are being chased by bailiffs you need to get advice straight away– it’s always better when you know your rights.

If your circumstances have changed, for example you may have lost your job, you need to apply for benefits as soon as you can.  We can help you do this. Contact us straight away. If you let us know how much money you have coming in and out we can use a benefit calculator to decide which benefits you are entitled to and maximise the income you are entitled to as well as putting you in touch with the best advice. We can also help you to complete the necessary forms but you need to supply the requested documents speedily to ensure your claim is dealt with as soon as possible and keep track of your claim as it is processed.

We take a tough line on rent arrears and failure to pay rent may result in eviction ultimately but if you let us know as soon as you have problems and work with us to find a way of paying, we can usually help.