Financial support
Contents
- Benefits and Money Advice
- Help to Claim
- Pension Credit
- Lincolnshire Credit Union
- Turn 2 Us
- Money Advice and Pensions Service
- Debt Advice
- Household Support Fund
- Discretionary Housing Payments
- Council Tax Support
- Help for households
- Scam advice
Benefits and Money Advice
We can provide you with confidential advice regarding your money, welfare, and benefits. For further information please see the West Lindsey District Council benefits and support advice pages.
Citizens Advice offer free, impartial advice on debt, benefits, employment, and housing problems. They can help make sure you're getting all the support you are entitled to.
Call the Advice Line on freephone 0808 278 7904 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm) or visit their Lindsey webpages.
Help to Claim
If you have, or someone you know has lost their job or seen reduced working hours, you might be eligible for Universal Credit. Many in-work households do not claim as they do not know what they are entitled to.
Help to Claim is a service to help people in the early stages of a Universal Credit claim. Support is available on freephone 0808 278 7904 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm).
Information on Universal Credit, advance payment, and the migration from legacy benefits is available at GOV.UK's Understanding Universal Credit page.
Pension Credit
If you are of pensioner age and not in receipt of Pension Credit, use GOV.UK's online calculator to see if you are eligible. This could boost your income up to £3,300 a year.
You can also ring the Pension Credit claim line 0800 99 1234.
Lincolnshire Credit Union
Credit Unions help people save money and can offer affordable loans. They are an alternative to loan sharks and pay day lenders, and can help people avoid problem debt.
Visit the Credit Union Nottingham, Lincoln & Mansfield website or call them on 0330 004 0842.
Turn 2 Us
Turn2us is a national charity providing practical help to people who are struggling financially. The Turn2us Grants Search can help you look for funds that might be able to give you a grant or other types of help.
Money Advice and Pension Service
Government funded debt advice, budgeting tools, and money advice is provided by the Money and Pensions Service.
Money Helper offers free, impartial help with money online, over the phone on 0800 138 7777 or on WhatsApp on 07701 342 744.
Debt Advice
You can access free, confidential, regulated debt advice through Step Change Debt Charity or call them on 0800 138 1111.
You could also contact National Debtline by webchat or call them on 0808 808 4000 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 8pm, and Saturday, 9:30am to 1pm).
In Lincolnshire, Citizens Advice organisations deliver telephone and face to face debt support as part of national commission. This can be accessed locally through Debt helpline 0800 240 4420 (Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm).
Household Support Fund
On Monday 20 February, the government announced that Lincolnshire would be awarded a further £10,929,370 of the Household Support Fund, which covers the period from 1 April 2023 to 31 March 2024.
The government has asked local authorities to prioritise supporting households with energy costs, food, essentials linked to energy and water, and wider essentials using this fund.
For further information see our Household Support Fund Grant page.
Discretionary Housing Payments
Discretionary Housing Payments may be awarded in special circumstances to provide additional financial help with housing costs – payments are normally only for a limited period only.
See our Discretionary payments page to read about the payments and if you would be eligible.
Council Tax Support
Households on low income, with under £16,000 savings or capital (unless in receipt of Pension Credit), may qualify for a discount from their Council Tax bill. To find out if they are entitled, they can use GOV.UK's benefits calculators.
Help for households
Households are facing rising goods and energy prices, inflation and cost of living pressures after the pandemic and Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. We know people are worried so the government is offering help for households. See what cost of living support you could be eligible for by visiting the Governments website.
Scams
Scams are on the rise and scammers will find different ways obtain your personal information or bank details. If you think you have been scammed or want to report a scam, contact Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040 or visit the Action Fraud website.
If it looks too good to be true then it is probably a scam. When using a website look for https// at the start of the page name you are looking at – this is a sign that the site you're using may be safe.