With energy, water and broadband bills on the rise, it’s getting increasingly difficult for many people to cover their expenses. It’s important to know you’re not alone in finding things difficult and that financial support might be available to help ease the burden.
Checking benefits eligibility
A significant number of eligible people don’t claim the benefits that are available to them, so it’s important to understand what you’re entitled to. You may be able to claim benefits if, for example, you’re at working age and on a low income, you’re sick or disabled, are of State Pension age with a low income or no income, or if you’re a carer.
You can check our website Citizens Advice - what benefits can I get? for information on what benefits you might be eligible for.
Reducing outgoings
If you claim benefits or are on a low income, you may be eligible for a reduction in Council Tax. Discounts can also be given to students, those living with a carer, or people who live alone, to name some examples.
If you have children and claim certain benefits, or are on a low income, you may qualify for free school meals, transport to school, or support with the cost of uniform.
Your local council may be able to help you pay for things like energy and water bills, food or other essential costs. This is called ‘welfare assistance' or the ‘Household Support Fund’. Each council runs its own scheme, so you’ll need to contact your local authority to see what type of support you can get.
To reduce other expenses, you may be able to switch to a cheaper broadband deal, get a water meter fitted, or access discounted travel options. Find out more about ways to get help, including advice on saving money heating your home, check our website Citizens Advice - Get Help with the Cost of Living.
Creating a budget and prioritising bills
If you’re finding it difficult to stay on top of bills, budgeting tools like the one on the Moneyhelper website can be very useful in helping you understand what money you have coming in and going out each month. If you're behind on bills, you should prioritise paying rent, mortgage payments, Council Tax and energy bills, as these are known as 'priority' debts which have the most serious consequences if missed.
Once you’ve got priority debts under control, you should look at credit card or store card debts, missed Buy Now Pay Later payments or payday loans. Whatever debt you’re dealing with, it’s important to speak to the person or company you owe money to as early as you can. You could show them a copy of your budget to let them know what your financial situation is and then see if there are any steps you can take to start dealing with your debt.
Just remember, there’s lots of help out there and you’re not alone. If you feel you need support with this, get in touch with us or another organisation who offers advice on debt free of charge like Stepchange.
Citizens Advice is also here to help you find a way forward, should you need our support. You can contact us here at Citizens Advice Leighton Linslade about this or any other issue. You can ring our Advice Line on 01525 373878 when our friendly advisers are available to help you Monday to Friday 10am to 1pm, Monday to Thursday 2pm to 4pm.Alternatively, you contact us via our website www.leightonlinsladecab.org.uk where you will find an online enquiry form to email us.