State benefits entitlements

Care first Information Specialists are expert advisors, trained by Citizens Advice, and can provide comprehensive answers and assistance on a wide range of financial issues including helping you determine whether you’re entitled to any additional benefits. Care first also provide 24/7 telephone/online counselling support. Both services are completely confidential and free of charge to staff.

Care first

Tel: 0800 174 319

Website: www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk (username: dhuft and password: wellbeing)

After logging in see the Finances section https://carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk/extranet/at-home/finances which has lots of information about common issues facing people today, including adapting to a reduced income.

Financial analysis tool:

With MyEva financial analysis tool you can create an account to access your financial health check score, tools and calculators and a series of short ‘tasks’ to help you manage day to day spending, reduce debt, build up your savings, review your mortgage options and much more.

You can also book a FREE 30 minute call with a Care first financial adviser
(scroll along ‘Essentials’ once you are logged into MyEva and select ‘Speak to an expert about your essentials’). Please note there is no financial advice given in the call – the purpose is to understand if you would benefit from regulated financial advice, based on your personal circumstances. If so, you are walked through the process and the charges that apply.

Citizens Advice

The Citizens Advice Service provides free, confidential advice by phone, email or online chat (face to face advice is currently suspended due to the coronavirus).

Tel: 0800 144 8848 – you can contact an adviser through this national phone line or use this search facility to locate the contact details of your local office. The national adviceline is available Mon – Fri, 9am – 5pm (not available on Public Holidays).

Online chat – use this link to talk with a trained adviser about benefit issues. Usually available Mon to Fri, 10am – 4pm.

For help applying for Universal Credit, you can contact the Help to Claim service – from making an application to getting your first payment.

Website: https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/

The Citizens Advice website has a comprehensive Benefits section to help you make sure you get all the help you’re entitled to, with information on benefits and tax credits if you’re working or unemployed, sick or disabled, a parent, a young person, an older person or a veteran. There is also information about council tax and housing costs, national insurance, payment of benefits and problems with benefits plus an A – Z benefits search.