Has coronavirus affected your income?
Has coronavirus affected your income?
It can be hard to see a way through, but there can be light at the end of the tunnel. Our Welfare Rights & Money Advice Team is here to offer specialist debt advice and assistance.
Don’t miss out on benefits
If you have lost your job or your income has reduced, you may be entitled to Universal Credit or New Style Jobseekers Allowance.
It is important that you are claiming all of the benefits you are entitled to. You can check your benefit entitlement here.
Help with your Council Tax
If you are on a low income you may be eligible to make a claim to receive help with your Council Tax. If you have recently claimed Universal Credit you won’t need to make a separate claim for Council Tax Reduction.
Struggling to keep up with your bills?
If you are struggling to pay your rent, council tax or utility bills it is important that you contact us or your utility provider as soon as possible to discuss the options to help you repay your arrears.
Don’t be tempted to contact one of the many debt management companies which are often advertised online. Although they offer to consolidate your debts into manageable payments, their help comes at a hefty price.
Don’t borrow more money to try and pay off existing debt – this may lead to more problems in the long run. And never borrow from an illegal loan shark; not only do they charge extortionate rates of interest, but they often use violence and intimidation to recover their debt.
The consequences of not paying your priority bills can be very serious (see table below) so contact us for help and advice before it gets too late.
|
Type of debt |
Possible action against you |
|---|---|
|
Rent arrears |
Eviction from your home |
|
Council Tax |
Deductions from wages or certain benefits, bailiff action, imprisonment |
|
Gas and electricity |
Supply disconnection |
|
Magistrates’ court fines |
Imprisonment |
|
TV Licence |
Magistrates’ fine, bailiff action. Imprisonment |
|
Hire purchase |
Repossession of the goods |
|
Child Support arrears |
Deductions from wages and certain benefits, bailiff action, imprisonment |
Don’t forget to pay your rent at Christmas
From April, we moved to a 52-week rent year. This means there are no longer ‘non-payment’ weeks at Christmas time. If you are struggling please talk to our Welfare Rights & Money Advice team who can help with debt and money worries. The team offers free confidential advice to help you budget manage your debts.
Paying your rent by direct debit or standing order means you don’t have to worry about missing a payment. To set up a direct debit simply email our Customer Payment & Debt team or call on 023 8083 3388. They can also help if you are struggling to pay by setting up a payment plan. You can set up a standing order through your bank.
There are many other ways to pay your rent, including making a payment online or using your payment card at a shop displaying the PayPoint logo.
Saving for Christmas
If you have a bit of money you can put aside to save for Christmas or a rainy day, you might want to think about opening a savings account.
They are a great way to get into the savings habit, the sooner you open your account and start saving, the more savings you will have at Christmas.
There are a number of options you can consider including the Help to Save Account. You can also check out tips from the Money Saving Expert website
