If you are experiencing financial worries, have concerns about debt or are worried about your job, there are lots of organisations you can turn to who can offer free, high quality, confidential advice to help you. They can help make sure that you are receiving all the money that you’re entitled to and that you aren’t paying out more than you have to.
Support to stay in your home
Monmouthshire Council’s Housing Support Team aim to help anybody who might be at risk of losing their home for any reason and can provide advice, liaise with your landlord or mortgage lender, or sometimes even provide financial help. The team can also help you to deal with the reasons behind you struggling to pay your rent or mortgage – such as mental health worries or difficulties accessing the financial support that you’re entitled to.
We also have a service to help you claim Universal Credit and other benefits.
Please contact Housing Support for more information:
Tel: 📞 01633 740730
Monmouthshire Council’s Benefits Service:
For local advice and support you can call Monmouthshire Council’s Benefits Service. The team can help with Housing Benefit, Universal Credit, Discretionary Housing Payments and Council Tax Reduction. They can also help with individual tailored plans that might suit you better.
Tel: 📞01633 644644
🌐 https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/home/counciltaxandbenefits/
Citizens’ Advice
Citizens’ Advice provide free, confidential, non-discriminatory advice and information to the residents of Monmouthshire and surrounding areas. Monmouthshire County Citizens Advice provides advice in a variety of areas including Debt, Benefits, Family & Relationships, Consumer, legal and more
Citizens’ Advice’s goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face.
Telephone:📞 01600 773297
🌐 Monmouthshire County (Monmouth) Citizens Advice >
Utilities – Council Tax, Business Rates & Benefits
New Cost of Living Fund – Discretionary Payments Announced. MORE INFO
Utilities – Water
If you are having difficulty paying your water bill, you should contact your supplier immediately. If you are with Welsh Water, they have outlined the support they can provide, which includes payment plans and water rate reductions. More information can be found at:
Support with bills | Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water (dwrcymru.com)
Utilities – Gas and electricity
Any energy customer in need of financial help will also be supported by their supplier, which could include debt repayments and bill payments being reassessed, reduced or paused where necessary.
Help for tenants of social landlords. Some social landlords will be able to provide fuel vouchers for prepayment meters. For more information, contact your landlord directly on:
Pobl: contact@poblgroup.co.uk 0330 175 9726
Monmouthshire Housing Association: 0345 677 2277 or moneywise@monmouthshirehousing.co.uk
Melin: moneyadvice@melinhomes.co.uk or 01495 745910
Christians Against Poverty
Whether it’s money worries keeping you up at night, or you just can’t seem to shake that bad habit, or you’re tired of going for job interviews that never get you anywhere – CAP has a service that can help you.
Tel: 📞0800 328 0006
🌐 https://capuk.org/i-want-help
Turn2Us
Turn2us is a national charity helping people when times get tough. We provide financial support to help people get back on track. Includes a useful benefits calculator and advice on accessing small grants.
Mind Monmouthshire
Mind’s welfare rights service helps to make sure you are getting the right benefits at the right level and can provide support with making benefits claims.
Tel: 📞01873 858275
🌐 https://www.mindmonmouthshire.org.uk/
Gateway Credit Union
Credit Unions like Gateway to serve their members and their community and to offer products and services unavailable elsewhere. Members of the Credit Union save regularly and their savings are used to make loans to other members. Gateway can be contacted by phone or online and also have a branch in Bulwark, Chepstow.
Tel:📞 01495 742500
Debt Advice Foundation
Debt Advice Foundation is a national debt advice and education charity offering free, confidential support and advice to anyone worried about debt.
Tel: 📞0800 043 40 50.
🌐 www.debtadvicefoundation.org
National Debtline:
National Debtline has helped millions of people with their debts. They’ll talk you through options and give clear advice on how to take back control.
Tel:📞 0808 808 4000.
StepChange Debt Charity:
StepChange helps change the lives of thousands of people every week. Their expert advice is impartial and personalised to each individual situation.
Tel:📞 0800 138 1111.
PayPlan:
PayPlan’s supportive, non-judgemental team of advisers help thousands of people beat their debts every year, and treat all of their calls with the strictest confidence.
Tel: 📞 0800 316 1833
Benefits Advice:
There is information and advice on benefits entitlement (including Universal Credit) and details on how to make claims.
Universal Credit helpline📞 0800 328 5644
🌐 https://www.gov.uk/browse/benefits
Support for veterans and their families
If you or a member of your family has served in the armed forces then you may be able to receive help from SSAFA. More information about the support they can provide with housing, welfare, benefits and financial assistance is available here:
🌐 https://www.ssafa.org.uk/get-help/welfare-and-benefits
There is more information about help and support available for veterans and their families here: https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/armed-forces/advice-help-and-support/
Financial support for unpaid Carers
Carers can apply for small grants of up to £500 to address financial pressures and emergency needs. Examples of eligible items and activities include, but are not limited to: Purchase of household items e.g. washing machine, bed or fridge etc. Assistance with the purchase of food. Purchase of technology e.g. laptop, mobile phones, tablets or data. Entertainment subscriptions e.g. Audible, Amazon Prime, gaming, Netflix etc. Carers can apply for a grant via the online application form on the Carers’ Trust website:
🌐 https://carerfriendly.co.uk/grants
Discretionary Assistance Fund:
This is a ‘last resort’ fund from Welsh Government intended to support people experiencing serious hardship. You can apply online for a Discretionary Assistance Fund payment at:
🌐 www.gov.wales/discretionary-assistancefund-daf/how-apply
Tel: 📞 0800 859 5924.
Gamble Aware:
The National Gambling Support Network, is a group of organisations across Great Britain who provide free, confidential and personalised support for anyone who’s experiencing problems from gambling, as well as those affected by someone else’s gambling.
🌐 https://www.begambleaware.org/finding-the-right-support
Freephone 24-7 National Gambling Helpline📞 0808 8020 133
The Royal British Legion
The Royal British Legion has launched the Cost-of-Living Grants Programme. This programme is designed to assist people who need help in a quick and easy way with everyday essentials such as kitchen appliances, clothes, and energy costs up to £200 a month for 12 months. This programme is open to anyone who is eligible for support and struggling to pay for items and services they need.
Support for school costs:
Welsh Government provides a grant for households on low incomes to help with the essential cost of attending school, such as buying uniform or kit to take part in particular activities. Information is available here:
🌐 https://gov.wales/pupil-development-grant-access
Many schools have their own stock of uniforms and other essential kit which they can offer to families at low or no cost. It’s always worth speaking to your child’s school to see if there are ways in which they can support your child to learn without the strain of money worries.