Support Over Your Lifetime

Finances

Some links on this page have been colour coded to make it easier to find the information you need:

Quick Read
In-depth
Clinical level

LOCAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

Emergency support or help with food and/or energy

From Buckinghamshire Council
Request support from the Helping Hand Team: “Our Helping Hand team is available to help individuals or families in need, those on low incomes and those who are experiencing a financial emergency or crisis.” Request support from the Helping Hand Team | Buckinghamshire Council
Can help if:

  • you are struggling to afford food
  • you cannot keep on top of your bills
  • you are in debt
  • you are struggling to pay for essential goods in your home

General support

From Citizens Advice
You can discuss problems with finances, which might relate to benefits, work, debt and money, housing and family, directly with the citizen advice Bucks service.

Local citizen advice offices are listed below, if you believe you need to book a face to face appointment, but you can also use their search engine to find the office closest to you.

Further support

There is a range of local support included below:

Cost of living support

From Buckinghamshire Council
Cost of living support Help with the cost of living (Helping Hand) | Buckinghamshire Council includes

From Slough Borough Council
You can get advice and support with

Money problems – advice and support

From Buckinghamshire Council
Money problems – advice and support if you are struggling to make ends meet Money problems – advice and support if you are struggling to make ends meet | Buckinghamshire Council

From Slough Borough Council
Help with bills, debt and other cost of living support included under

Housing and benefits

From Buckinghamshire Council
Housing and benefits Housing and benefits | Buckinghamshire Council includes

From Slough Borough Council
Housing includes Homelessness – Slough Borough Council
Benefits and support Benefits and support – Slough Borough Council includes

HOMELESSNESS support

There is good local support if you are homeless or at risk of homelessness, see under

local citizen advice offices

From Citizens Advice
You can discuss problems with finances, which might relate to benefits, work, debt and money, housing and family, directly with the citizen advice Bucks service.

Local citizen advice offices are listed below, if you believe you need to book a face to face appointment, but you can also use their search engine to find the office closest to you.

Some of the local offices in Buckinghamshire include:

Further information

From Citizens Advice
The national website includes lots of information on finances Citizens Advice
Including

support for older people, and their families and carers

From Age UK Buckinghamshire
Information and advice Age UK Buckinghamshire | Information and advice for later life

Care in your home, a care home or a nursing home

How you can understand all your options and how they can be funded as far as possible see under:

Carers

Details on benefits for carers can be found under

Support for young children and pregnant women

From Healthy Start NHS
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

other support

From Christians against poverty
Helping people from all ages, backgrounds, ethnicities and faiths

NATIONAL SUPPORT - SELF REFERRAL

National helplines

There are a number of very helpful national helplines which can make a difference in giving you the information and support to help you improve your situation.

GENERAL ADVICE

From Citizen advice
Can discuss problems with finances, with might relate to benefits, work, debt and money, housing and family
Helpline includes “Call our national phone line” and “Talk to us online” Contact us – Citizens Advice

From Money helper
Chat to us live (click the icon on the home page) Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper

DEBT

From the Money Advice trust
The national debt line offering webchat, telephone and email advice Debt advice | Free debt advice | National Debtline | National Debtline

From Step Change
Live Chat: Free debt advice: what if I need help with my debts? Free Debt Advice. Get Help With Debt Today. StepChange

From Money Helper
Where to get free debt advice Use our debt advice locator 

FOR OLDER PEOPLE

From Age UK
Age UK advice line Age UK Advice Line: Free national helpline for older people | Age UK

From Independent Age
Independent Age is a national charity providing support for older people facing financial hardship.
Call the Independent Age Helpline Call the Helpline | Independent Age

Pensions

From Pension Wise
Anxiety around your pension can be helped by getting some free advice
Free Helpline Pension Wise appointment options | MoneyHelper

Support for victims of a scam

For detailed information, including what to do and also emotional support, see topic “support for victims of a scam”, under

  • Crime – see section “national support”

Wellbeing

As the NHS suggest
“Feeling low or anxious is a normal response when you’ve lost your job, been made redundant, or you’re struggling with debt. You may be feeling, behaving or thinking in ways that are unfamiliar. But that does not necessarily mean you’ve got depression or an anxiety disorder.”
“Coping with financial worries” The NHS website. Retrieved 14th March 2024.

The NHS suggests simple ways to to support your physical, mental and social wellbeing and when you should seek medical help
Coping with financial worries – NHS

Local support

There is good local support to help you improve your wellbeing:

WELLBEING

For all of us even without a health condition an attention to mental, social and physical wellbeing can be helpful. It can also help us better cope with any stressful situation.

Good physical wellbeing can support the treatment of a number of health conditions and help with mental wellbeing. Local support is available in the following areas

Reducing risk factors for some health conditions is beneficial. In addition, alcohol can increase feelings of anxiety. There is good local support to help with

Mental health

Issues with finances can on occasions lead to anxiety and depression as explained by the NHS  (Coping with financial worries – NHS). There is good local and national support for mental health, see under

FREQUENTY ASKED QUESTIONS

GENERAL SUPPORT

From Money Helper
An independent advisory organisation, sponsored by the department for Work and Pensions
Excellent advice on all areas of finance at all stages of life Free and impartial help with money, backed by the government | MoneyHelper
Includes advice on

  • Benefits
  • Everyday money
  • Family and care
  • Money troubles
  • Pensions and retirement
  • Work

From Citizen advice

From Turn2Us
A national charity offering information to people facing financial insecurity.

  • Get Support Get support | Turn2us
  • The “Find an advisor” tool is worth looking at though many of the local services are likely to have been included on this website. Where it maybe helpful is if you live on the boundaries of the county.

From Money Saving Expert
This well known financial site has many helpful tips and ideas

From Age UK
Money and legal advice for seniors Money and legal advice for seniors  Money and legal advice for seniors | Age UK

From Gov UK
detailed information on

DEBT

From Step Change
We can answer all your debt questions Debt Information. Free Help With Your Debts. StepChange

From Citizen advice
Debt and money Debt and money – Citizens Advice

From Money Helper
Deal with debt Dealing with debt | Help and support with debt | MoneyHelper

From Gov UK
Options for paying off your debts Options for paying off your debts – GOV.UK

HEALTH COSTS

From the NHS
This is a large guideline which covers a number of areas.
Help with health costs Help with health costs – NHS

From the NHS Business Services Authority
NHS Help with Health Costs NHS Help with Health Costs | NHSBSA

From Patient info
Help with Health Costs Help with Health Costs | NHS Voucher Schemes | Patient

From the NHS
Money, work and benefits: How to pay for care and support, and where you can get help with costs. Money, work, benefits and social care – NHS

MENTAL HEALTH

Finances can have an important impact on mental health. Mental health support is discussed below:

From the NHS
Coping with financial worries Coping with financial worries – NHS 

From Mind
Money and mental health Money and mental health | Mind, the mental health charity – help for mental health problems

From the Royal College of Psychiatrists
Debt and mental health Debt and mental health | Royal College of Psychiatrists

From the Children’s Society
For young people
Debt and money problems Debt & Money Problems | The Children’s Society

Maternity and parental rights

From the NHS
Maternity and paternity benefits and leave Maternity and paternity benefits and leave – NHS

From Citizens Advice
Check your maternity and parental rights Check your maternity and parental rights – Citizens Advice

From Gov UK
Maternity Allowance Maternity Allowance: Overview – GOV.UK

NHS 111

If you think you need medical help right now, 111 online can tell you what to do next.

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