This web page will give you all the help and advice that's available in the Wealden on how to manage your money, how budgeting can help and what to do if you're in debt.
For many of us, it's difficult trying to make ends meet or to pay the mortgage, the rent or higher fuel bills and there are major changes being made to benefits. This is called Welfare Reform and is being talked about a lot right now in the press and on television.
If you are facing difficulties, it's best to start looking at your finances now. This is a list of things that you could start with:
- List all the companies and people you owe money to, how much and who you should pay. First prioritize those debts that can result in imprisonment e.g. Council Tax arrears, Magistrates Court and arrears of child maintenance or TV Licence.
- Prioritize rent or mortgage payments to prevent homelessness - sometimes it is possible to reduce the amount of mortgage paid if agreement is reached with the lender or Court.
- List all your income and expenses. Be honest and make sure the amounts are realistic
- Sort out your priority debts such as mortgage, rent, fuel, food, council tax, income tax
- Never ignore letters or phone calls from these organisations. Get in touch with them as early as possible and explain why you are having difficulties
- Ask them to agree a repayment plan
- Work out how to deal with your non-priority debts. This will depend on whether you have any money left over from dealing with your priority debts and paying for essential expenses like food
- Get a check on the benefits that you may be entitled to
Click on any of the links below, or call the numbers listed for expert help on dealing with your debt problem:
- Dealing with Debts
- Cut your Fuel Bills
- Keeping Warm
- Childcare Costs and Working Tax Credits
- Cut your Food Bills
- Cut your Travel Costs
- Maximising Your Income
- Useful Links to Other Organisations
Dealing with Debts
- Managing your debts - Wealden Citizens Advice (external link) can help or call 01825 764940
- Loan Sharks - contact the specialist illegal money lending team (external link) or view the Stop Loan Sharks advice document (pdf)
- Dealing with Debt and Managing you Money Factsheet (external link)
Cut your Fuel Bills
- Top ten tips to save energy costs
- Grants for home insulation and heating and Discount Schemes
- Leaflets and guides on cutting fuel bills
- Save energy and money factsheet (pdf)
Keeping Warm
Childcare Costs
Cut your Food Bills
- £3 Family Feast (pdf) - low cost healthy recipes developed by the Community Chef
- Love Food Hate Waste (external link) - easy practical everyday things in the home we can do to waste less food
- My Supermarket (external link) - compare supermarket prices and shop online
Cut your travel costs
- English National Concessionary Bus Pass Scheme (external link) (concessionary fares)
- Free car sharing scheme (external link) - or call 01273 481000
Maximising your income
- Contact our Welfare benefits advisor to check your benefit entitlement
- View the Benefits You're Entitled to with our Benefits Calculator
- Changes to Benefits - Welfare Reform (external link)
Useful Links to Other Organisations
Local
- Citizens Advice Bureau (external link)
- Energy Efficiency Hotline, call 01323 443321 or 01323 443279
- Freecycle (external link)- give away your old stuff and get new!
National
- DWP Department for Work and Pensions (external link)
- National Debtline (external link) or call 0808 808 4000
- Debt and arrears advice from Shelter (external link)
- BBC - How to cope during the downturn (external link)
- Money Saving Expert (external link) - a free site packed with useful money saving tips
- Money Supermarket (external link) - compare thousands of products and services
- USwitch (external link) - find the best deal for your utilities
- Kelkoo (external link) and PriceRunner (external link) - compare prices on a range of products
- Choose Net (external link) - consumer information and price comparison service
- Debt Options (external link)- free, impartial advice for those in serious debt
- Broadband Genie (external link) - compare prices on internet service providers
- Broad Band Deals (external link) - compare the latest broadband deals available in the UK
Is there anything else we can do to help? If so please contact us using the details below.
Contact Housing
Contact Form: Contact the Housing Team
Email: housing@wealden.gov.uk
Telephone: 01323 443321
Fax: 01323 443349
Address:
Wealden District Council,
Housing Services,
Council Offices,
Vicarage Lane,
Hailsham,
BN27 2AX
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