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Advice and support available

Maximising your income / benefits

Universal Credit (UC) ‐ the DWP wants to encourage people who could be better off financially to consider moving to UC. They estimate that more than half of current claimants will be better off. For further information go to: Universal Credit: What Universal Credit is - GOV.UK

Pension Credit - this is one of the most under-claimed benefits by those of pension-age. If you are entitled to Pension Credit this can lead to additional help with Council Tax and free TV licences for over 75's. To check if you, or a family member might be entitled to Pension Credit, please go to:Pension Credit calculator - GOV.UK

More information can be found on the Nottinghamshire County Council website.

Housing Benefit / Council Tax Support - if you are pension-age, live in rented accommodation and are on a low income you may be able to claim help with your rent. If you pay Council Tax and are on a low income you may be able to claim Council Tax Support. To check potential entitlement and to make a claim go to: Apply for Housing Benefit and Council Tax Support

Attendance Allowance - this helps with extra costs if you have a disability severe enough that you need someone to help look after you. It’s paid at 2 different rates and how much you get depends on the level of care that you need because of your disability. You could get £61.85 or £92.40 a week to help with personal support if you’re both:

It does not cover mobility needs.

Find out more about attendance allowance

Food clubs - offering healthy food at affordable prices to benefit residents struggling with the cost of living. Search for local food clubs in the district. 

General benefit advice - for all general benefits advice go to:

Benefit calculators - there are also various benefit calculators available which provide independent advice regarding benefits you may be entitled to:

Managing your money / expenditure

If you need help to manage your money and general budgeting advice, there is a useful tool available on the Citizens Advice website: Work out your budget - Citizens Advice

If you are experiencing difficulties with your household energy costs in the first instance, please discuss this with your provider.

The Citizens Advice website also contains some useful information regarding grants and benefits available to help pay energy bills, see: Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills - Citizens Advice

If you are having difficulties with your water payments Severn Trent's Big Difference scheme is available for those on a low income, see: Big Difference Scheme | Help with paying your bill | Help when you need it | My Account | Severn Trent Water (stwater.co.uk)

Not sure how much you should be paying each month on electricity? See:  How much do my appliances cost to use - October 2022 (PDF File, 499kb)

Other help available

If you are in private rented or Housing Association accommodation and your rent is not covered in full by Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of Universal Credit  the council has limited funding to support some shortfalls via our Discretionary Housing Payment scheme, please go to our Discretionary housing payment page to find out more.

If you require more specialised housing advice, our Housing team have a number of options available on our Losing your home page.

Other available support includes: 

Help for Households - Government support website

The Government have set up their own Help for Households webpage to support those during the Cost of Living crisis. You'll find support with household costs, energy bills, childcare and more. 

Debt Advice

If you need specialised advice on debt issues, something useful sites include:

Debt and money - Citizens Advice

StepChange Debt Charity - Free Expert Debt Advice

Home - Shelter England

The Money and Pensions Service | Building financial wellbeing

Support from Citizens Advice

We understand how overwhelming debt can be. Whether it’s credit cards, loans, or unexpected expenses, Citizens Advice can explore your options to help you regain control of your finances. Their experienced team of debt advisers can assist with a whole range of issues including:

  • Council Tax arrears
  • Rent arrears
  • Mortgage problems
  • Energy debt
  • Court fines
  • Non-Priority debts such as County Court Judgements, Credit Cards, Overdrafts and Buy Now Pay Later

Their team will look at the best debt solution for you which may include:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Debt Relief Orders
  • Repayment plans
  • Breathing space
  • Write offs

The service they offer is by appointment and is free, confidential, impartial and non-judgmental.

Please contact them for an appointment, they can help you in person, by telephone or video link. Outside of their office hours, there is an option to leave a message, and someone will call you back. Call 01623 861769 or go to: www.ca-centralnotts.org.uk.