Help and support from other places
If you are struggling with benefits, budgeting, bills and debt then you can get help and support from one of our partners. Here is a list of local and national organisations that will be able to give you the information, advice and support that you may need.
Local Organisations provide information, advice and guidance and include:
CA: Help to Claim Service – Help to make an application for Universal Credit and to help and advise you up to your first payment. Tel: 0800 144 8 444 or go online at: www.citizensadvice.org.uk
Council Tax Support - If you are on a low income, you may be entitled to receive council tax support of up to 100% of your net council tax bill. You will be required to complete and application form and provide relevant information concerning your income and household, so that your entitlement can be assessed.
Discretionary Housing and Hardship Payments - Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) and Hardship Payments are paid at the council's discretion where it considers extra help with housing costs is needed. These payments are made from a limited budget allocated by the DWP. To apply for a DHP you will need to be in receipt of either Housing Benefit or the Housing Element of UC. To apply for a Hardship Payment (help towards council tax only) you will need to be in receipt of Council Tax Support. For more information and to make an application for a DHP.
Financial Inclusion Support Officer - If you have any concerns about managing your money or budgeting, then please contact one of the team today. The officer will walk you through every step and if you need additional help and support then you will be referred to the right specialist support organisations that can help you. Email the NWBC FISO Officer at financialinclusion@northwarks.gov.uk
Warwickshire Local Welfare Scheme – For emergency food referrals and supported food referrals Tel: 0800 408 1448 (freephone from landlines) or 01926 359182
ACAS – Acas gives employees and employers FREE, impartial advice on workplace rights, rules and best practice. For more details, advice and information visit https://www.acas.org.uk/
Free School Meals – Every Free School Meal awarded helps your child’s school get more funding. Your child doesn’t even have to have the meal! The funding is really important to the school as it can provide more activities for the children - and the funding continues for the school for 6 years! Apply online now, it makes sense! It’s quick and easy to apply online, visit www.warwickshire.gov.uk/freeschoolmeals
Benefits Calculators – Use a FREE and independent Benefits Calculator to find out what benefits you could get, how to claim or to work out how your benefits will be affected if you start work. Go to https://www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
North Warwickshire Citizens Advice - Benefits, consumer advice, debt, budgeting, energy saving, better deals, pensions, financial capability, life events and money matters toolkit Tel: 01827 712 852 email: advice@nwcab.org.ukor visit the website https://nwcab.org.uk/
Act on Energy- Energy bill or switching advice and financial assistance to repair or replace heating systems (home owners only) Tel: FREE 0800 988 2881 email: advice@actonenergy.org.uk or visit the Act on Energy website.
Severn Trent Water - Water Rates debt, Water Sure, Metering scheme, Water saving information, The Big Difference Tel: 0800 917 6901 or call 03456 022 777 for help paying your bill
Veterans Contact Point – Information, Advice and Guidance for serving or ex-service personnel. Tel: 02476 343793 email: contactus@veteranscontactpoint.co.uk or visit the website www.veteranscontactpoint.co.uk
Rethink - Employment support service specifically to support with mental health issues. Tel: 0300 5000 927 email: info@rethink.org or visit the website https://www.rethink.org/
Coventry and Warwickshire Mind - Low level early support for over 16 year olds aiming to enhance mental health and wellbeing. For service delivery during Covid19 please visit the website: https://cwmind.org.uk/ or follow @cwmind on facebook or twitter. For information and advice about where to get help, call the Mind Infoline on 0300 123 3393 or text 86463.
Dear Life – for people in Coventry and Warwickshire who are desperately seeking support, or anyone who is worried about a loved one or someone they know. As well as raising awareness around suicide, the website provides information and advice as well as the contact details for both local and national suicide prevention support https://www.dearlife.org.uk/
P3 - Floating support for over 25’s to support them to stay in their home (eg if in rent arrears), street outreach work and accommodation to support rough sleepers with access to a mental health practitioner, drop in facilities in Nuneaton Tel: 0808 164 6220 or email: warks@p3charity.org Due to Covid19 services are by appointment only.
Warwickshire CAVA – Access to volunteering opportunities, support for local groups, organisations, enterprises and charities with governance, funding and to help strengthen local communities. To find out more contact WCAVA Tel: 01827 718080 email: nwinfo@wcava.org.uk or visit the website https://www.wcava.org.uk/
Family Information Service – Offers free help and advice on all aspects of family life to parents, carers, young people, and anyone working with families in Warwickshire. Tel: 01926 742274 email: fis@warwickshire.gov.uk
National Organisations that provide help and support either online 24/7, provide a face to face or phone service, include:
MoneyHelper - Bill prioritiser can help you sort your bills and payments in the right order and tell you what you need to do if you’re struggling to pay before you miss a payment.
Learn My Way Learn how to use the internet. Learn My Way has free courses to help you get online, learn digital skills and stay safe and connected. Visit https://www.learnmyway.com/
The MoneyHelper - The easy way to get clear, free, impartial help for all your money and pension choices. The website is packed with advice and guides to help improve finances, tools and calculators to help customers keep track and plan ahead. Whatever your circumstances or plans, move forward with The Money Helper. Visit: https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en where you can use web chat too.
National Debtline – FREE, impartial and confidential expert https://www.nationaldebtline.org/debt advisers who are supportive and trained to a high standard. To talk customers through the debt advice options that are right for them. Tel: 0808 808 4000.
Stepchange – Free expert, tailored advice and practical solutions to problem debt. Benefit calculators and help to manage money better. Tel: 0800 138 111 or visit https://www.stepchange.org/
Shelter - Homeless and housing advice, advice about Rent/mortgage arrears, housing benefit and UC issues, renting problems and legal clarification. Tel: 0808 800 4444 or visit: https://england.shelter.org.uk/ where you can Web Chat too
Universal Jobmatch - Search and apply for full or part-time jobs in the local area, Great Britain and abroad using the Universal Job match website https://www.gov.uk/find-a-job
NHS Choices - For advice, support and to find services near to you. Visit: https://www.nhs.uk/ and Search ‘Mental health and Wellbeing’
A Directory of Mental Health Support in Warwickshire – A comprehensive directory has been compiled by Warwickshire CAVA of all Mental Health Support available to residents across Warwickshire. To access the directory visit https://www.wcava.org.uk/ and search ‘directory of mental health support’ for details of all services in a document that you can download
The Big White Wall - Having a tough time or feeling down or stressed? Big White Wall is a safe online community of people who support and help each other by sharing experiences, guided by trained professionals. Visit https://togetherall.com/en-gb/
Mental Health Matters - For mental health, emotional support, visit https://www.mhm.org.uk/ , or call 0800 616 171- it’s available 24/7 or email: info@mhm.org.uk
Quit 4 Good Warwickshire - Stop Smoking Service. 2 types of service are provided to help and support people with stopping smoking: Face-to-face with a Stop Smoking Advisor in a local venue and an on-line stop smoking service. Visit https://quit4good.warwickshire.gov.uk/ for more details
Change, Grow, Live (CGL) – Free and confidential drug and alcohol service for adults, families, carers and affected others in Warwickshire. For drug or alcohol advice, support and treatment is available from CGL Warwickshire. Please Tel: 01926 353 513 or email: Warwickshire.Info@cgl.org.uk or refer yourself online at https://www.changegrowlive.org/drug-alcohol-service-warwickshire/rugby
GamCare – If gambling is a problem that is affecting you and others close to you, GamCare is a leading national provider of FREE information, advice and support for anyone affected by the problem gambling. Visit https://www.gamcare.org.uk/ for more details and live chat, or call the helpline on 0808 8020 133 which is available 24/7
EQuIP Equality and Inclusion Partnership - Support discrimination on Age, Disability, Gender, Gender Reassignment, Marriage, Civil Partnerships, Pregnancy and Maternity, Race, Religion or Belief, Sexual Orientation. Discrimination casework and supporting diverse communities. During Covid19 please call 07377 431997 or send a message from their online contact page
Age UK – Provide information, advice and guidance on all money, benefit and debt matters and enables independence for older people and helps to combat loneliness. Tel: 0800 055 6112 or visit https://www.ageuk.org.uk/
The Pension Service - The Pension Service helps with State Pension eligibility, claims and payments. Claims made online at https://www.gov.uk/contact-pension-service or Tel: 0800 731 7898 for help to make a claim or advice.
Carers UK – For expert advice, information and support. Caring can be extremely complicated. The maze of rights and entitlements can be complicated. Filling in paperwork can be complicated. For expert telephone advice and support if people want to talk about caring. If you're looking for answers, the online information and support is the best place to start. Tel: 0808 808 7777 or visit https://www.carersuk.org/
Loan Sharks
A new FREE smartphone app has been launched to make it quicker and easier to report loan sharks and access help.
The Stop Loan Sharks app, includes a contact form and phone number to report loan sharks, as well as information to help victims of illegal money lenders to get support.
It also offers advice on the tell-tale signs that someone is a loan shark. These include offering cash loans without any paperwork, charging extortionate interest, taking bank cards and passports as security and threatening behaviour or violence to get money.
Other features include a search tool to help users find credit unions and legitimate lenders, links to confidential debt advice services and push notifications about shark arrests and court cases.
Download the Stop Loan Sharks App for free from the App Store and Google Play
Alternatively visit https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/ or call 0300 555 2222 to safely and confidentially report a Loan Shark