Dear Macmillan
I have a friend who is going through treatment at the moment and her husband has commented on the challenges around the cost of living. This includes council tax and energy bills. I would like to help them to ensure that that they are getting the support that they need as i know it is out there. There are things like help with bills for both council tax and energy costs, the possibility of a blue badge to support them with visits to the shops etc. Are you able to give any advice?
Hi Dexstar68
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m sorry to hear about your friend’s diagnosis. Hopefully we can provide some support at this difficult time.
As part of our Money and Work Team, we have a dedicated group of Welfare Rights Advisers. They can check if your friend and her husband are entitled to any state benefits or other financial support, such as one-off grants. You can contact them on freephone 0808 808 0000 and they’re available weekdays 8am – 8pm and weekends 9am – 5pm. If you’d prefer you can also contact them via webchat here by selecting “Chat to us” and then the “Welfare Benefits & Grants” option.
They will ask you for some financial details such as household income, amount of any savings, cost of rent/mortgage, council tax and utilities just to see if any other help is available.
Just to clarify, the Financial Guidance Service can provide information and guidance on all aspects of your personal finances to help you make informed decisions in the following areas;
Pensions and retirement options
Questions about insurance policies
Mortgages and money management
Arranging wills and trusts to protect your family
General financial planning questions
If there is anything from the above list that you would like to discuss, please reply to this message, or speak to us directly on the same number. To reach the Financial Guidance team just select options 1 then 2 then 1 again. Our team are available Monday to Friday 8am – 6pm.
Kind regards,
Joe
Financial Guide
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