Support with money matters
Trafford Citizens Advice and Community Response Hubs
Trafford Directory | Citizens Advice Trafford - offers free, impartial, confidential advice on issues such as debt, welfare and housing, helping you find a way forward.
Trafford Directory | *Community Response Hubs Trafford - provide a range of support to the communities they serve.
Trafford Assist Welfare Scheme
Trafford Assist is Trafford's Local Welfare Assistance scheme designed to help residents:
- Meet immediate short-term needs in an emergency or as a result of a disaster.
- Return to or remain in the community and help them to live independently in their own home.
Find out more at Trafford Assist.
Other Trafford services
- Trafford Carers Centre & Trafford Young Carers - to provide information, advice and support to all carers, former carers and those working and for Trafford carers. Aiming to improve carers physical, psychological and social lives.
- Age UK Trafford Information and Advice helpline - free, confidential and expert advice on issues such as benefits (including help with filling in forms), housing enquiries, accessing care as well as general advice and signposting.
- LMCP Care Link - information and advice on welfare benefits and money management for the South Asian community, over the phone and in person.
- African Caribbean Care Group - advice, information and individual support about welfare benefits, housing, energy, food aid, employment, support in a crisis, debt and money, family advice and outreach services.
Benefits advice
- Benefits calculators - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk) - Government page that links to online benefit calculators that can provide you with an instant benefits estimate.
- Welfare rights advice (trafford.gov.uk) - Trafford Welfare rights team can give you free, independent and confidential advice on how to claim and manage your benefits.
- Trafford Carers Centre & Trafford Young Carers - benefits caseworker can help with benefits and welfare assistance if you are a carer, parent carer or young carer.
- blueSCI Welfare Rights support service - one-stop benefits advice and support service for individuals requiring support related to their mental health and needing to navigate the complex benefits and welfare system.
- Macmillan Benefits Advice Service at Citizens Advice Trafford - provides advice and assistance with benefit entitlement for cancer patients.
Help with Fuel/Heating
- Trafford Directory | Cost of living help and resources - more information on help for households around Energy bills, including the Governments Warm Homes Scheme, Energy Price Guarantee and Cost of Living Payments.
- Energyworks - works across Greater Manchester to help make your home warmer and more energy efficient with free equipment. They can also help a family or individual swap to a cheaper supplier or help to deal with an energy company on behalf of the customer around debts and discrepencies.
- Depher - Paid and community heating and plumbing services - Disability and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair (DEPHER) provides vulnerable people with access to affordable and vital emergency workds. We can also provide financial help and support to people over the age of 65, registered disabled or families/individuals on a low income.
- Trafford Directory | LEAP (Local Energy Advice Programme) - is a free service that can help you to save money and to keep your home warm and cosy.
Help with Debts
Breathing Space
Breathing Space and the Breathing Space Mental Health Crisis Debt Scheme. are two Debt Respite Schemes launched by the Government in May 2021.
The Standard Breathing Space is available to anyone with problem debt. The Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space is available to someone who is receiving mental health crisis treatment.
They aim to help relieve some of the pressure of dealing with creditors, so you can focus on a getting debt advice and setting up a debt solution.
In Trafford you can get referred by Citizens Advice Trafford for the standard Breathing Space, or have your eligibility confirmed by Trafford Mental Health teams if doing a self-referral.
National Debtline
Charity giving free and independent debt advice over the phone and online.
Call 0808 808 4000 Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9.30am to 1pm
https://www.nationaldebtline.org/
Money Advice Service
Can help you become debt free.
033 0055 2902 (Freephone) Monday to Friday 8am-7pm
Christians against Poverty (CAP)
Can also help to manage your debts. To make an appointment to see a local debt coach please call CAP on Freephone 0800 328 0006
If you wish to speak to a local debt coach please contact:
CAP Debt Centre - Altrincham & Partington postcode coverage WA14, WA15, M31.
CAP Debt Centre - Sale postcode coverage M33, M23.
Step change
Call 0800 138 1111 Monday to Friday, 8am - 8pm and Saturday 8am - 4pm
Find out more about Step Change
General Advice on making savings and using money wisely
If you want to look at how you could be saving money on energy or credit card bills, the Money Saving Expert is a trusted place to go for advice.
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/
Uswitch is also really helpful for checking if you are paying too much on your energy or broadband bills and can help you find a cheaper provider.
Credit Unions
Did you know credit unions are an alternative to banks that support the financial wellbeing of their members?
Becoming a member of a credit union can be a good way of effectively managing your finances long term.
A key appeal of credit unions is a willingness to make small loans of £50 to £3,000, which most high-street banks won’t do.
They're a much cheaper alternative to payday loans and other high-interest lenders, and some credit unions can even get cash to you the same day.
You can find your local credit union here https://www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk/
Manchester Credit Union: *please follow this link and read the information about a fraudulent site operating*