Your Money

There are organisations that can help you manage your money. We also have information about tax, pensions and benefits offices.

• 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 on this page 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.

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Consumer credit and debt

• StepChange Payday Debt Help (external link) gives advice to people experiencing money difficulties. Freephone: 0800 138 1111
• 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. 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

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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

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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, 8am to 8pm

The Pensions Advisory Service (TPAS) (external link) is an independent non-profit organisation that provides free information, advice and guidance.

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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. This includes pension credit, cold weather payments, and winter fuel payments.

Home Sweet Home (external link) from Metropolitan Housing has a free service for Homeowners, Private Tenants and leaseholders in Haringey. They can help you maximise your income by checking you have all the benefits you can claim.

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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. Normally you will pay a solicitor to write your will. There are websites which can help you get the best service from your solicitor

• AgeUK -  (Making a will - external link) aims to prepare you to make your will. They will take 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

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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 pages on the Citizen's Advice website (external link)

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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. It provides round-the-clock access to CAB information on your rights - including benefits, housing and employment, debt, consumer and legal issues
• Money Saving Expert website (external link) contains lots of useful tips and advice on how to save money

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TV Licensing website

If you are over 75 and receive Pension Credit, you entitled to a free TV Licence. 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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