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Financial help for families

The cost of bringing up a family can be a real worry for some parents. This page provides advice on the range of financial support you may be able to claim which could make a real difference to your family as well as advice on money management and dealing with debt.

Money management and dealing with debt

Managing your money and the family finances can be a difficult enough job at the best of times. The services listed below will give you support and advice on dealing with day to day financial issues such as:

  • Budgeting and managing family finances
  • Dealing with debt
  • Mortgages and loans
  • Savings and investments
  • Pensions
  • Citizens Advice Bureau - Money Management - advice on managing debt, bankruptcy, mortgage problems, credit problems, bailiffs, debt management companies, court action for debt and budgeting.
  • the Money Advice Service - Your Money - provides information and advice on issues such as credit cards and loans, mortgages and homes, insurance, pensions and retirement, savings and investments, tax and benefits.
  • National Debtline - gives free, confidential and independent advice to people with debt problems.
  • The CCCS - Consumer Credit Counselling Service - is a national debt help charity who offer free advice to help people who are in financial difficulty. They are the Citizens Advice Bureau's preferred partner for debt management plans and they are endorsed by the Archbishop of Canterbury. They provide free, independent and realistic advice on personal budgeting, use of credit and dealing with debt problems including debt repayment.
  • The Debt Support Trust - is a registered charity who can give you expert debt advice and support if you are struggling to manage your debts.
  • the Money Advice Service - Divorce and Separation - If you are going through divorce or separation, the Financial Services Authority Money Made Clear team can help you with the financial issues you face, providing advice to help you stay on top of your financial situation.

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Benefits you may be entitled to

There are a number of benefits, grants and allowances that you and your family may be entitled to if you are:

  • bringing up or expecting children
  • in work, out of work or looking for work
  • a lone parent
  • a sick or disabled parent or you have children who are sick or disabled

You can download our 'Financial help fact sheets' from the Downloads and documents section of this page, which will also tell you what benefits and grants you may be entitled to.

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Financial help for families affected by disability

If you or a member of your family has a disability, there are a number of benefits and other forms of financial help which you may be able to apply for. This section also includes information on:

  • whether you or members of your family are eligible for specific financial help
  • how to claim and when to claim benefits and grants
  • how different benefits are paid
  • Citizens' Advice Bureau - Benefits for people who are sick or disabled - gives information about the benefits and tax credits that you or a member of your family may be entitled to.
  • Directgov - Financial Help for Disabled People - includes information about Disability Living Allowance, Attendance Allowance, Employment and Support Allowance, Incapacity Benefit, tax relief and other deductions that you may be able to claim if you or another family member has a disability.
  • Contact a Family - Benefits for looking after a disabled child - gives details of benefits and tax credits that you may be entitled to if you are looking after a disabled child, how they are paid and when to claim them.
  • Direct Payments - Arranging your own care and services - Direct payments are made by councils to people receiving social care services instead of the council providing the service directly. This link tells you more about whether you can get direct payments, what they can be used for and how to apply for them.
  • Family Fund - The Family Fund supports families caring for children under 16 who are severely disabled or seriously ill. They provide grants and information to make life easier and more enjoyable for the disabled child and their family.
  • NHS - Help with Health Costs - gives information about financial help you may be able to get with regard to health costs such as dental costs, eye care costs, prescriptions and travel costs if attending medical appointments.

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Help with childcare costs

Childcare can be expensive. There are, however, a number of financial support schemes which could help you with the costs of childcare including Tax Credits, childcare voucher schemes and nursery education funding.

  • Nursery Education Funding If your child attends a nursery or pre-school that is registered for , they are entitled to up to 15 hours of free nursery education per week. Contact the Family Information Service on 0845 090 8044 or 01926 742274 for more information.
  • Paying for childcare - provides information on the different types of financial support you may be able to receive to help with the costs of your childcare.
  • Tax Credits - If you work and pay for childcare you may be able to get tax credits to help with up to 70% of the costs. You usually have to work for at least 16 hours a week to qualify.
  • Childcare vouchers and other employer supported childcare - Childcare vouchers can be used to pay for childcare and are one of the ways that your employer can help to support you with these costs.
  • Tax credits or childcare vouchers? - If your individual circumstances mean that you could claim either Working Tax Credits or Childcare Vouchers, it should be noted that you can not claim both of these. Call the Tax Credits helpline on 0845 300 3900 to find out which method is best for you financially.
  • Extra help for students with children - You may be able to get extra financial help if you are in full time higher education with dependent children.
  • Care to Learn - If you are a young parent under 20 and have one or more children, Care to Learn can help pay for your childcare and related travel costs while you’re learning.

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Other financial help if you are bringing up children

Bringing up children can be costly and expensive. The web pages listed below will provide information on benefits, grants and allowances available to working and non-working parents including Tax credits as well as information to help you with the planning, budgeting, managing and balancing of your family finances.

Our Financial Support for Parents and Carers factsheet will also give you an at a glance guide of what you may be entitled to.

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Help with household bills

If you are struggling to pay your household bills, there are a number of schemes available which may be able to offer financial help with paying:

  • Council Tax bills
  • Gas and electricity bills
  • Water bills

The government's Cold Weather Payments scheme and the Warm Front Scheme can also help with paying for heating costs and insulation improvements to your home.

  • Council Tax Benefit - Whether you are working or not, if you are on a low income and need help to pay your Council Tax bill, you may be able to get Council Tax Benefit.
  • The Severn Trent WaterSure Scheme - is for customers who pay for their water charges via a water meter. The scheme can help you if you have problems paying for your water because of high water usage or because you are on a low income.
  • The British Gas Energy Trust - aims to help those most in need by providing grants to help families pay for their energy charges and other household bills and costs.
  • The EDF Energy Trust - aims to help you by reducing the level of your debt repayments and to help make it easier for you to pay your energy bills in the future.
  • npower - Spreading Warmth - The npower Spreading Warmth programme offers help to those most in need such as the elderly, low income families, disabled and chronically sick by helping people to manage their bills, keep warm and reduce their energy costs.
  • E.ON - CaringEnergy - scheme aims to help you to reduce energy bills, increase household income and help you to be able to afford to heat your home.

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Credit Unions in Warwickshire

Credit unions are financial co-operatives owned and controlled by their members. If you and your family need financial help, they can offer you savings and great value loans. There are a number of credit unions helping people throughout Warwickshire. If you would like to find out more about credit unions in your local area, the contact details are listed below.

Bedworth & Bulkington Credit Union
7 Leicester Street
Bedworth
CV12 8GG
Tel: 024 7631 1999

New Way Credit Union
158 Long Street
Atherstone
CV9 1AE
Tel: 01827 718951

Nuneaton Credit Union
Hatters Space
Upper Abbey Street
Nuneaton
CV11 5BT
Tel: 024 7664 2480

Rugby Credit Union
CVS House
North Street
Rugby
CV21 2AG
Tel: 01788 577900

South Warwickshire Credit Union
6 Windsor Court
Greenhill Street
Stratford-upon-Avon
Warwickshire
CV37 6GG
Tel: 01789 261505
Email: southwarwickshirecreditunion@rocketmail.com

Also at:
Community Link Office
4-6 Clemens Street
Leamington Spa
CV31 2DL

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Further help

For more information about the financial help that may be available to help you and your family, contact the Family Information Service on 0845 090 8044 or 01926 742274.

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