If you need advice or information about managing money, you can contact our Money Matters team on 0113 386 1000.
You can also get support from your local council:
Explore different topics about managing your money:
It’s not always practical to pay with cash everywhere, especially for bigger purchases. When you open a bank account, you can gain access to your money anytime through cash machines (ATMs), banking apps, and websites.
You’ll also need a bank account for any welfare benefits to be paid into.
If you’re working and receiving Universal Credit you may be eligible for the Help to Save account which provides a bonus of 50p for every £1 you save over 4 years.
Managing bills and payments can feel overwhelming but Money Helper’s bill prioritiser can help show you which bills to deal with first.
A budget is a list of all the money you have coming in and going out each month. When you create a budget, you take the first step toward controlling your finances. It can help you stay, or get back, on track and plan for your next outing or things like birthdays and Christmas.
Our Money Matters team can help you create a budget – get in touch with us on 0113 386 1000.
Credit Unions are not-for-profit organisations, offering their members access to savings, affordable loans and budgeting services.
Debt intermediaries are organisations that can give you advice about debt, as well as providing a tailored solution, just for you. Contact our Money Matters team for debt support on 0113 386 1000 or take a look at the options below:
A money lender has to be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to lend money legally. Money lenders who aren’t authorised by the FCA are breaking the law. They are known as loan sharks.
Loan sharks often work from home, charge very high rates of interest and don’t give you much paperwork to confirm the arrangements they’ve made with you. A loan shark usually has lots of customers and lends money like a business, but they conduct their lending illegally.
Loan sharks often take other illegal actions to collect the money they’ve lent you, such as threatening violence or taking away your credit cards or valuables.
How to check a lender is authorised
If you borrowed money from someone who isn’t FCA authorised, you haven’t broken the law; they have. The Financial Services Register on the FCA website shows whether a money lender is authorised.
If you think you owe money to a loan shark please contact the Illegal Money Lending Team at Stop Loan Sharks on 0300 555 2222.
You can also talk to our Money Matters team in confidence by phoning 0113 386 1000.
If you need other money advice you can contact the Money and Pensions Service or Money Helper.