Benefits, Debts & Money Management. A brief guide for Aspire customers on what help and support is available for money and benefit issues

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1 Benefits, Debts & Money Management A brief guide for Aspire customers on what help and support is available for money and benefit issues

2 Do you need help managing your money? Can you or anyone in your household answer YES to any of these questions? Is this your first tenancy? Is this the first time you have lived on your own? Are you new to the area and unsure of what local services and support is available to you? Do you know whether you can get help from the government to pay your rent? Have you had a benefit check in the last year? Do you need a loan or grant to help you move in or for essential items for your house? Do you have a loan that you are struggling to pay? Have you struggled to get credit or open a bank account because of your credit rating? Are you disabled and/or sick from work and not sure what benefits you can claim? Have you been turned down for a benefit and want help in challenging the decision? If you have answered YES then we may be of use to you

3 How we can help? Our Money Advice Team offer Aspire customers a free, confidential and impartial advice service to help people with multiple debt and benefit problems We provide training workshops for tenants on how to manage their money called Moving On Moving In We help our customers to get work ready through our Employment and Skills team We have links to Staffordshire Credit Union where people with poor credit ratings can save money and get affordable loans We can advise you on how to get a basic bank account and save money by paying your bills by direct debit We are able to offer you a cheap contents insurance product individual to your needs (in partnership with Jardine Lloyd Thompson) You may need a benefit check - we can advise you with this

4 We can help you to get the cheapest electric and gas supply and look at other energy saving options We can provide free regular support to our most vulnerable customers with things like managing bills, keeping appointments and remaining independent in the community through our Independent Living Team If you are interested in finding out more about any of the above services and products please contact us on or us on Can anyone receive these services? The support services are available to Aspire customers over the age of 18 and are free. For help with independent living or getting work ready there may be some additional qualifying criteria we will discuss this with you after you have contacted us. Free help, advice and support from professional workers who care

5 How you can contact us? Our support services are available during office hours. If you phone us out of hours the message will be stored on a confidential answerphone system. We may in some cases be able to offer home visits, and we also provide surgeries and advice sessions across the borough. Please phone us on and we will explain accessibility and availability in more detail. Who we help? Every year we help hundreds of our customers to manage their homes, claim benefits, get back in to work and pay their bills. Confidential advice and support If you are looking for confidential help, advice and support on financial matters we can help. Our advice and support service provides individual and flexible advice to help people manage their households. We are keen to help our customers with money issues. We recognise that problems managing money can have a negative effect on people s health and wellbeing and can affect their ability to sustain their tenancy.

6 Debt Advice Our team of fully trained Money Advisors can help you to get your debts under control. They can help you to plan a budget, contact creditors on your behalf and help you with long term strategies and solutions such as bankruptcy, payment plans and debt relief orders. The service is free and confidential. All they ask is that you tell them about all of your debts, follow the strategy that you have agreed and keep them informed of any changes in your circumstances. If you would like to find out more about our Money Advice Team please contact

7 Benefits Advice Our rents team can help with claiming housing benefit, calculating your entitlement and helping you with any disputes or problems you may have with your claim. Our Money Advice Team can help advise you where you have been turned down for a benefit and you don t agree with the decision. They can help you to lodge an appeal, advise you on the merits of taking an appeal further and offer appeal preparation and representation in some circumstances. If you want advice about housing benefit contact our income management team on If you want advice about other benefits please contact the Money Advice Team on

8 Useful telephone numbers Age UK Benefit Enquiry Line Citizens Advice Bureau (Staffordshire Advice Line) Community Legal Service Disability Solutions National Debtline Newcastle Council Pension Service Social Services Newcastle Borough By writing to Aspire Housing, Kingsley, The Brampton, Newcastle under Lyme, Staffordshire ST5 0QW By visiting our offices How to contact us By telephoning By minicom By fax By ing us Via our website Printed October 2012