Are you struggling to manage your money and unsure if you are getting all the financial help you are entitled to? Join our next budgeting and debt management sessions, looking at how you can prepare a budget that could help you address your spending so you can get the most out of your money. Please call Nic on 07387 66 8322 to join the next course (Held on the first and second Wednesday afternoons in the month). #FinancialEducation #WelfareTeam #StFrancisEmployability #Com

Today a client was given advice on claiming Pension Credit. Could you be eligible? If your total household income including any wages, private and state pensions is less than £227.10 per week as a single person or £346.60 as a couple and you have savings under £16,000, you may be entitled to this additional financial help from the DWP. Pension Credit opens the doors to other financial benefits that could help reduce you outgoings and make your golden years a bit easier. P

The Welfare Team received a lovely card from a client we have been supporting over the last few months. We helped her and her family with housing, benefit and debt issues as they started a new life after suffering domestic violence. Together we worked hard to ensure the family are now safe, settled and moving on and this show of appreciation really means a lot!

When you leave a property, provide your supplier with meter readings so they can close your account and provide a final bill for you to pay. If you haven't done this and the new tenants don't register with a supplier, you may be liable for their usage. It may only be when your credit rating is impacted and you start to receive debt collectors' letters that you realize your old supplier believes you are still living there and need to pay the bill. Likewise, when you move into

Key Changes to Renters' Rights

From May 1st 2026 the rights around renting have changed. * Landlords will only be able to evict tenants for a reason; this includes selling the property or moving in a close family member. * No more Section 21 evictions. * The majority of tenancies will become Assured Periodic Tenancies. This means tenants can stay in a property as long as they want, unless a valid Section 8 notice is served or a tenant gives 2 months' notice. * It will be illegal to discriminate against ren

If you have gas appliances in your home, a detector could save your life. The presence of gas appliances, such as boilers, gas cookers, or gas fires, can significantly enhance the comfort and convenience of your living environment. However, it is crucial to recognise that these appliances, while beneficial, also come with potential risks if they are not functioning properly. Faulty boilers, gas cookers, or gas fires can release a poisonous, odourless, and lethal gas known as