Money Advice Service
- What is the Role of the Money Advice Worker?
- Can I be given advice as to what benefits I am entitled to?
- Can I receive assistance in paying my rent?
- Can I receive assistance in paying my Council Tax?
- Am I entitled to Working Families Tax Credit
- Am I entitled to an Attendance/Disability Living Allowance?
- Can you tell me more about Debt Counselling?
- Can I still get advice even though I am a private tenant or an Owner-Occupier?
- How can I make a complaint/comment/compliment?
Tel: 01925 442420, Email: nsd@warrington.gov.uk, Fax: 01925 456880, Charter Mark Awarded for Excellence
What is the Role of the Money Advice Worker?
The main role of the Money Advice Worker is to maximise a household’s income by providing information and advice on:
- Welfare Rights
- Debt Counselling
Can I be given advice as to what benefits I am entitled to?
Welfare Rights
The Money Advice Worker is able to offer help and advice on a huge range of benefits. An important part of the Money Advice Worker's job is encouraging people to apply for benefits they may be entitled to. People are often unaware of the benefits they may eligible for or just unsure about how to go about claiming them.
Income Support
A means tested benefit paid to people who are sick, elderly, or lone parents whose income is insufficient to meet their needs.
Can I receive assistance in paying my rent?
A means tested benefit is available to assist individuals and families with low income to pay their rent. This is called Housing Benefit. Our Money Advice Workers can offer you advice how to claim housing benefit. You can make an appointment to see an Adviser at a surgery held in the Local Housing Offices. Please click here to view the list of Surgeries. Please note if you are elderly or disabled and unable to attend a local surgery session, we can visit you by appointment, in your home. Please tel: 01925 442420.
Can I receive assistance in paying my Council Tax?
A means tested benefit is available to assist individuals and families with low income to pay their council tax. Our Money Advice Workers will be able to advise you if you are entitled to any assistance. Please see above for details of making an appointment.
Am I entitled to Working Families Tax Credit?
A means tested benefit is available to assist families with at least one parent working a minimum of 16 hours per week to ‘top-up’ their income to a recognised standard laid down by the Government. Our Money Advice Workers will be able to advise you if you are entitled to any assistance. Please see above for details of making an appointment.
Am I entitled to an Attendance/Disability Living Allowance?
A benefit paid is regardless of other income, based on a person’s inability to manage personal bodily functions for themselves. Our Money Advice Workers will be able to advise you if you are entitled to any assistance. Please see above for details of making an appointment.
Can you tell me more about Debt Counselling?
The Money Advice Worker carries out effective debt counselling, including liaison and negotiation with outside agencies and organisations. This will include drafting letters and acting on behalf of the client as necessary.
The aim of the Money Advice Worker is to reorganise debts to help clients manage more efficiently.
Priority Debts
Priority Debts are those that the Court recognises as the most important. Those that must be paid first.
We discuss priority debts and introduce some steps for dealing with them. The Money Advice Worker will help you with these problems.
Other Debts & Options
When people find themselves in debt it is fear of legal action that can often be the reason for seeking help.
The Money Advice Worker will offer advice on:
- Offers of payment which are within your budget and acceptable to your creditors
Administration Orders – when one or more of your debts has been the subject of a County Court Judgement you may seek help from the Court who will act on your behalf by sharing out a sum agreed amongst your creditors.
Distress Warrants – when threatened with seizure of goods there are steps that can sometimes have this set aside.
Can I still get advice even though I am a private tenant or an Owner-Occupier?
The Council offers a Money Advice service irrespective of whether they are owner occupiers, private tenants or Council tenants. Please telephone 01925 442420 for further details.
How can I make a complaint/comment/compliment?
We welcome complaints, compliments and comments from the public as we see it as a way of helping to improve our services. Please click here to access the online form to note your comments.
