Life can be beyond our control and asking for help should not be embarrassing. There is help available if you are struggling to make ends meet.

I have suddenly no money

• Lost job / reduced hours.
• Lost money/ unexpected expense.
• Disaster (fire/flood).
• Rent increase.
• Relationship breakdown.
• Money stopped – medical failed or benefits stopped.
• Waiting for a new claim.
• Benefit payment delayed.
• Waiting for a benefit decision.
• Cost of living – money not stretching to pay all bills and food.
• Low income – zero hours.
• Statutory sick pay too low to cover bills and food.
• Redundancy.
• Not sure if you eligible for benefits.
• Change of circumstances – new baby
• Bereavement.
• Coming out of military services

Type of debts

• Rent
• Council Tax
• Gas
• Electricity
• Benefits repayments
• Credit / store cards
• Personal loans
• Family and friends

Take control.

• Get help
• Maximise your income – get a benefit check
• Contact your local council for council tax and housing benefit help.
• Get debt advice
• Benefit advance
• Hardship payments
• Challenge a decision
• Check if you are overpaying direct debits.
• Budget

Where to get help.

Universal Credit Hardship Payments https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit/other-financial-support

Benefits Checker https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators

Get help with the cost of living from your local council https://www.gov.uk/cost-living-help-local-council

JobCentre-plus https://www.gov.uk/contact-jobcentre-plus

Challenge a benefit decision (mandatory reconsideration) https://www.gov.uk/mandatory-reconsideration#:~:text=You%20usually%20need%20to%20ask,hospital%20or%20had%20a%20bereavement.

Find your local council https://www.gov.uk/find-local-council

Christians Against Poverty https://capuk.org/#

Stop Loan Sharks https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/

Healthy Start https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/how-to-apply/

Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods Scotland https://www.mygov.scot/best-start-grant-best-start-foods

Food Banks https://www.trusselltrust.org/get-help/find-a-foodbank/

Citizens Advice UK https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

Citizens Advice Wales https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/information/advicelink-cymru/

Citizens Advice Scotland https://www.cas.org.uk/

Citizens Advice Northern Ireland https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/about-us/northern-ireland/

National Debt Line https://nationaldebtline.org/

Shelter https://www.shelter.org.uk/

UK Harvest West Susses/East Sussex/Hampshire https://www.ukharvest.org.uk/get-support/choose-an-area

National services that offer support to veterans (this site offers various help) https://www.gov.uk/guidance/national-services-that-offer-support-to-veterans

Help For Heroes https://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/

SSAFA https://www.ssafa.org.uk/

British Legion https://www.britishlegion.org.uk/get-support/who-we-help#:~:text=Veterans%20Gateway,from%20a%20network%20of%20organisations.

Veterans Gateway https://www.veteransgateway.org.uk/

Home Start https://www.home-start.org.uk/money-issues

Food Club Card Interest free loan £25-75 Families pay for groceries over the school holidays. https://www.fairforyou.co.uk/food-club-card

Free School Meals GOV UK https://www.gov.uk/apply-free-school-meals

Money Helper https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en?source=mas#

British Gas Energy Trust (not just gas, and not just British Gas customers) https://britishgasenergytrust.org.uk/

Turn2Us https://www.turn2us.org.uk/get-support

Budgeting Loans GOV UK https://www.gov.uk/budgeting-help-benefits

My Community Hub https://mycommunity.org.uk/what-are-community-hubs

Career Coaching ( 4 hours free Hyde Housing) www.hyde-housing.co.uk/employment-support

Organisations referral Food Banks

Some of the organisations that can refer you are as follows:

This page is by no means exhaustive and will be added to over time. 

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