New year money worries

Not having enough money to pay off your bills in January can be overwhelming and it’s tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope your unopened bills will miraculously go away, but they won’t.

The reality is that debt can quickly spiral out of control and affect other areas of your life including your health, relationships and work. It’s important you face up to the issue this new year, and take steps to tackle it.

Maximise your income

It’s important to check you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, especially if your income has changed. You can do this on the Turn2Us website.

Work out a budget

This is the first step to taking control of your finances. Setting up a budget means you are less likely to end up in debt or get caught out by unexpected costs. Use an online budget planner or download the personal budget sheet to help track your income such as salary or benefits and list everything you spend your money on. Then you can work out what you can afford and where you need to economise.

Utility bills

If you’re struggling to pay your utility bills like water, gas, electric and Council Tax it’s best to talk to your provider as soon as possible. You may be eligible for Council Tax Support or a discretionary payment.

How to save money on household bills

There is lots of support available if you're struggling to pay your energy bills including the government’s Energy Bill Support Scheme which offers eligible households £400 off energy bills this winter and the Warm Home Discount Scheme, which could get you £150 off of your electricity bill. It’s also worth checking if you’re eligible for Cold Weather Payment or Winter Fuel Payment. If you’re a low income household you could receive a discount of between 45% and 90% thanks to Southern Water’s Essential Tariff and don’t forget to check social tariffs which offer long term, low cost broadband contracts if you’re on benefits.

Help is available

Find lots of useful cost of living information on our website, from making sure you’re getting the right benefits to what to do if you can’t pay your bills or afford to buy food.

Get help with debt problems

If you’re worried about debt our Welfare Rights & Money Advice Team can help with debt and money worries. The team offers free confidential advice; just get in touch or call 023 8083 2339 for a confidential chat.