Our Money Advisors can help you to access housing benefit, Universal Credit and free childcare.
You can contact our team by calling 0300 790 6530 or emailing citizen.moneyadvice@citizenhousing.org.uk. Please include your full name and address when emailing.
Check out our advice services booklet and find out about all the ways we can help and support you.
Our Money Advice Team has grown and now includes an Energy Advice and Support Team dedicated to give you advice and support with managing your energy bills.
You can contact our team by calling 0300 790 6530 or emailing citizen.moneyadvice@citizenhousing.org.uk. Please include your full name and address when emailing.
Read our guide to saving energy in your home.
Watch our video for some tips on how you can cut down your energy usage and save money.
Want to improve your digital skills? Secure your spot on one of our new digital workshops
Our digital inclusion officer, Jamie Barnes is helping our customers to build up their digital skills by offering a series of pilot workshops that can show you:
The workshops can take place online and in person and it doesn’t matter what ability level you are.
If you think you’d benefit from one of the pilot workshops we’ve got planned, and would like to take part, contact Jamie Barnes, jamie.barnes@citizenhousing.org.uk.
Registration will be on a first come first served basis and Jamie will be in touch with you to confirm your place.
Depending on your circumstances you could be allowed to claim some benefits to help you pay your rent and cover other costs. It’s important to make sure you get all of the help that is available to you.
There are a range of free online tools to help you work out which benefits you are entitled to.
Check the Government’s Benefits Calculators.
Universal Credit is a payment to help with your living costs. It replaces:
Instead of receiving any of these benefits individually, Universal Credit means you are paid one amount to cover them.
Universal Credit is being introduced in stages across the UK. You don’t need to do anything until you hear from the Department for Work and Pensions.
If you are on Housing Benefit when you switch to Universal Credit this will come to you instead of directly to us and that means you are responsible for paying your rent on time.
You can use the Government’s Universal Credit Personal Planner tool to find out what you need to do to prepare for Universal Credit.
Visit the Government's website for more
Visit the Money Advice Service website for free, impartial information about Universal Credit
Housing Benefit can help you pay your rent if you are not in work, on low income or claiming benefits. It is being replaced by Universal Credit.
You can still make a new Housing Benefit claim if you are in certain circumstances – for example if you are living in temporary accommodation, you have reached state pension age or live in sheltered housing.
Government guide to housing benefit
You could qualify for free childcare depending on your circumstances.
Visit the Government’s Free Childcare website to find out more.
Childcare choices
Here are some steps you can take to make sure you are getting all of the benefits you are entitled to, that you’re prepared for changes to benefits and you avoid getting into debt.
Do a benefits check
Make sure you are getting what you are entitled to. It’s free and easy.
Affordability calculator for new customers
Focus on monthly budgeting
This is what Universal Credit is built around so organising your budget around months is really important.
Get a bank account
You have to have one to receive Universal Credit and it is a really important way of receiving wages and paying your bills. For advice on bank accounts, including how to set one up, visit the Money Advice Service’s dedicated page
Set up a Direct Debit
This is a great way to make sure your bills are paid on time. We can set this up for you in minutes. Just call us on 0300 790 6530
Pay off any debts
Even small debts can quickly get out of hand
Get online
Having access to the internet is really important and being online makes managing your finances and applying for benefits much easier
Get into work
Universal Credit is built around working, and being in work will leave you with more money
Get support
We are here to help. We can help you with applications, debt advice and much more. If you are worried about paying your rent or any other aspect of your finances just get in touch.
If you’re struggling with benefits, we can help.
If for any reason you are struggling to access benefits or having trouble paying your rent contact us straight away.
Our money advisers can give you advice to help to get you back on track and even help you with benefit applications.
Contact our Money Advice Officers for benefits advice
Call us on:
Or email:
citizen.moneyadvice@
citizenhousing.org.uk
Please include your full address when emailing.
If you need advice managing debt or support with budgeting we are here to help.
If you are struggling to pay your rent it is really important that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can help.
You can read our Income Collection Policy here.
You can also access free financial support through the Money Advice Service.
Contact us
Please talk to us straight away if you think you can’t pay your rent.
Here are some useful links to other organisations that can help you to take control of your budget and manage your debt:
Citizens Advice – work out your budget
Money Helper – budget planner
Help for Households – see what support is available to help you with the cost of living and save money with their energy saving tips
National Debtline – you can seek debt advice via telephone by contacting by calling 0808 808 4000, Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm. Saturday, 9:30am to 1pm.
They also have a helpful budget management tool.
If you need advice managing debt or support with budgeting or advice we are here to help.
If you are struggling to pay your rent it is really important that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can help.
You can also get free, confidential support with your finances by using the Tenant Support and Wellbeing Service.
You can also access free financial support through the Money Advice Service.
If you are struggling to pay your rent it is really important that you contact us as soon as possible so that we can help.
You can also access free financial support through the Money Advice Service.
Depending on your circumstances you could be allowed to claim some benefits to help you pay your rent and cover other costs. It’s important to make sure you get all of the help that is available to you.
There are a range of free online tools to help you work out which benefits you are entitled to.
Check the Government’s Benefits Calculators.
The benefit cap is a limit on the total amount of benefit you can get. It applies to most people aged 16 or over who have not reached State Pension age.
The amount your household gets from some benefits might go down to make sure you do not get more than the cap limit.
Visit the Government’s website to find out more about the benefit cap.
If you have a spare bedroom and you’re renting one of our homes then your Housing Benefit, or housing costs element of Universal Credit might be reduced. This is often referred to as the bedroom tax, the under-occupation penalty or the removal of the spare room subsidy.
Visit the Money Advice Service’s website for more information about the bedroom tax.
