Early days financial support?

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My husband has just been diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma, from the descriptions it's likely stage 3. He's currently in hospital, but we think will come out to be cared for at home, we don't have a full diagnosis or treatment plan yet.

He's a pensioner, I have a 4 hour/week contract (yes, 4) in a convenience store and earn a little from self-employed private dog training. As such, if I am caring for him full time (which I will have to, given his current condition) I will not be earning much (if anything), but benefits only kick in once he's been eligible for 6 months.

What do I do in the meantime? I've been cancelling subscriptions and looking at getting a council tax reduction, but it's not going to cover the bills. Any advice would be much appreciated.

  • Hello

     

    So sorry to hear about your husband’s diagnosis and how worried you are about managing financially.

     

    The Financial Guides are here to support with questions on matters like paying your mortgage, claiming on an insurance policy or maybe accessing a pension for example. We’d be happy to discuss any of these or any related areas so please let us know if you’d appreciate a chat.

     

    It does sound like you would benefit from speaking to our Welfare Rights advisers who unfortunately are not available on Ask an Expert at the moment. To enquire about any support from the state, you can contact the team on 0808 808 0000, then select Option 1, Option 2, finally Option 2. You might prefer to speak to them on webchat instead – select ‘Welfare Benefits and Grants’ when you’re asked to pick a topic.

     

    In the meantime, here is a link to information on state benefits on this website which I hope you’ll find useful.

     

    Would you welcome some help with budgeting as well?

     

    A budget plan is a way of comparing money coming in (for example, from a salary, pensions or benefits) with the payments going out (such as rent or mortgage, insurance, general living expenses and other spending).

     

    A budget plan can be done in lots of ways: on paper, on a spreadsheet, or by using an online budget planner such as the one in our publication ‘Planning and Managing your Finances’. Please contact us for a copy, or this can be downloaded here.

     

    An online budget planner can also be found on the MoneyHelper website.

    If you need more specialist debt advice, we can also offer a referral to StepChange Debt Charity which is authorised and regulated to provide this advice.

     

    I hope this has helped for now and do call us if you’d like some further support.

     

    Take care.

     

    Julia

     

    Financial Guide

    Remember you can also speak with the Macmillan Support Line team of experts. Phone free on 0808 808 0000 (7 days a week, 8am-8pm) or by email.

     

     

    The Financial Guidance Service will not advise you on the merits of buying, selling or cancelling or making a claim on a specific financial product from any company or otherwise provide you with any regulated services . As a guidance service, we do not provide financial advice or carry on other activities that are regulated and we are not authorised or regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. No part of our service constitutes, nor is intended to constitute, a financial promotion within the meaning of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000 nor an invitation or inducement to engage in investment activity. 

     

    The aim of the Financial Guidance Service is to provide you with information to help you make informed decisions about your personal finances. For financial advice, including recommendations to buy, sell, cancel or make a claim on specific financial products or to obtain any other type of financial services, you should speak to a financial adviser or company who is permitted to provide you with those services. You can find a local financial advice firm or other type of firm who provides regulated services on the Financial Conduct Authority's website - https://register.fca.org.uk/directory/s/.

     

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