If you’re struggling to pay for food and other daily essentials, you may be able to get help in a number of ways.
Surrey Crisis Fund
This is a discretionary fund run by Surrey County Council. It provides financial help to Surrey residents who have nowhere else to turn in an emergency or following a disaster.
You may be familiar with the help the 22,000 Citizens Advice volunteer advisers provide on the phone, webchat, email, etc but did you know that behind the scenes we also campaign on your behalf?
If you’re receiving Universal Credit payments, you will be aware that the £20 pw Covid uplift ended on 30 September 2021 which means you are receiving less money. However there are other benefits you may be entitled to.
Help with housing costs and bills
Cold Weather Payments for each week in the winter temperatures stay at zero Celsius or below will be paid automatically.
If you have been a victim of fraud, don’t panic or feel ashamed – there are things you could do.
Protect yourself
If you feel threatened, call the police immediately on 999. If you have paid money in the last 24 hours or the scammer is nearby you should use 101.
After a 6 month pause, court proceedings to evict private sector tenants began again on 20th September. If you’re behind on rent payments you could be evicted.
New pandemic protection
Until at least the end of March 2021 landlords must now provide tenants with 6 months’ notice of eviction in all cases bar those with 12 months’ rent arrears or those raising other serious issues –
Most of us can’t afford to buy an “eco” home but there are things we can all do to help save the planet and save money at the same time.
Saving on energy
Pension Credit could help
Free TV licences for more than 4 million people over 75 are no longer automatic. The TV Licencing Authority will be contacting people over the next 12 months and you will need to pay £157.50 (as a lump sum or in monthly instalments) unless you are receiving Pension Credit.
By August, a million homeowners had obtained permission to defer their mortgage payments. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, mortgage lenders could not start or continue court action for repossession until at least 31 October. If you/re in arrears you should take action now to avoid repossession.
Making extra mortgage payments
You may be able to pay back what you owe by paying extra on top of your mortgage payments.
Have you been warned your employer needs to reduce their workforce and that you may be made redundant? If you are, there are rules your employer has to follow and you may be entitled to redundancy pay.
Check if your redundancy is fair
Employers selecting workers for redundancy are not allowed to discriminate by age,
During the pandemic, this year’s official Anti-Slavery Day on 18th October passed almost unnoticed – as did victims of slavery in the UK today. In March Surrey Police searched over 100 locations and made 7 arrests but they warned that “Modern slaves are often hidden in plain sight”.
The Atlantic slave trade may have been made illegal many years ago,