Your Money
Organisations that can help you manage your money are listed below. There is also information about tax, pensions and benefits offices, and how to make a will.
- Managing your money
- Consumer credit and debt
- Tax
- Pensions
- Benefits
- Making a will
- Financial scams
- Independent advice
- TV licensing
- Other sources of information
Managing your money
Advice and help with managing your money is available at the local Citizens Advice Bureaux (external link). The organisations listed here can give you advice and information on specific money issues. The Pensions Advisory Service website (external link) is a good place to start looking for help and advice.
Consumer credit and debt
StepChange Payday Debt Help (external link) gives advice to people experiencing money difficulties.
Freephone: 0800 13 81 111
Association of British Credit Unions Ltd (external link). Credit unions are financial co-operatives owned and controlled by their members. They offer savings and great value loans plus they are local, ethical and know what their members want.
National Debtline (external link) provides advice and help with dealing with personal debt problems.
Tel: 0808 808 4000
The Insolvency Service (external link) provides advice on debt to individuals, companies and organisations.
Tax
HM Revenue and Customs (formerly Inland Revenue) (external link) lists various helplines offering advice and help on tax issues.
TaxAid (external link) offers free tax advice to people in financial need, promotes public understanding of tax, and presses for a simpler and fairer tax system.
Tel 0845 120 3779
Pensions
The Pension Service (external link) provides information about pensions and pensioner benefits.
PO Box 1005
Newcastle upon Tyne NE98 1WZ
Tel 0845 606 0265
Fax 0191 218 6061
Textphone 0845 606 0285
Opening hours: Monday to Friday 8.00am to 8.00pm
The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) (external link) is an independent non-profit organisation that provides free information, advice and guidance.
Benefits
Local Benefits Agency Offices:
- Highgate - Tel 0845 377 0002
- Tottenham - Tel 020 8365 5200
- Wood Green - Tel 020 8899 3200
The CAB Adviceguide website (external link) contains a wide range of information on Benefits in retirement - including pension credit, cold weather payments, winter fuel payments and more.
Home Sweet Home (external link) from Metropolitan Housing has a free service for Homeowners, Private Tenants and leasholders in HAringey. They can help you maximise your income by checking you have all the benefits you can claim
Making a will
Making a will is the only way to make sure that the savings and property that you have built up during your lifetime will benefit the people and causes closest to your heart. There are several will writing services that you can use as an alternative to a solicitor. These may or may not be appropriate for your needs and you should seek advice about which of these best fits your needs.
AgeUK - (Making a will - external link) aims to prepare you to make your will and guides you through all the things you may need to document before going to see a solicitor.
The Society of Will Writers (external link) is a non-profit-making self-regulatory organisation offering consumer advice on wills.
Financial scams
Every day, people throughout the UK are falling victim to scams of one kind or another. It could be an unexpected prize draw or lottery win, or a chance to invest in an exciting new money-making or investment programme. But remember - if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Visit the scam section of the Citizen's Advice website (external link) for up to date advice.
They also provide useful advice on how to spot a scam (external link).
Independent advice
Financial Services Authority (FSA) regulates financial services and protects consumers. The Money Advice Service website (external link) is an independent service, set up by government to help people make the most of their money. They provide free, unbiased money advice to everyone across the UK - online, over the phone and face to face.
Tel 0300 500 5000
CAB - Adviceguide website (external link) - the Adviceguide website is the main public information service of Citizens Advice, providing people with round-the-clock access to CAB information on their rights - including benefits, housing and employment, and on debt, consumer and legal issues.
Money Saving Expert website (external link) contains lots of useful tips and advice on how to save money.
TV Licensing website
Anyone over the age of 75 is entitled to a free TV Licence. This also includes households where a person over 75 resides. Those aged 74 can apply for a short-term licence that will cover them until their 75th birthday, or claim a refund on an existing licence for the remaining months after they reached the age of 75. For more information or to apply for the free licence, visit the TV Licensing website (external link) or call 0300 790 6073.
Other sources of information
AgeUK (external link) have a wide range of income, finance, benefits, retirement and pension information fact sheets
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