Financial Awareness Day on 14 August is an opportunity to think about our relationship with money, understand our finances and know where to find support when we need it.
Financial wellbeing isn’t only about budgeting or managing what comes in and goes out. Money worries can affect many parts of our lives, including how we feel.
Concerns about debt, bills, benefits or the cost of everyday essentials can add to stress and worry. When you are already struggling with your mental health, dealing with financial pressures can feel particularly difficult.
Getting the right information or practical advice can be an important part of looking after your overall wellbeing.
Money and debt support through UOK
If you are worried about money or debt, you don’t have to work through it alone.
UOK brings together community organisations across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex, including partners offering specialist money, benefits and debt advice.
Money Advice Plus provides free, confidential and accessible advice for people who need help with benefits and debt. St Luke’s Advice Centre, working alongside Money Advice Plus, provides free welfare benefits and debt advice and practical support for people experiencing financial hardship.
Find money and debt support through UOK
Find more information and practical advice through UOK
Sometimes you may simply need information to understand your options or work out what to do next.
The UOK resources directory brings together local and national information about debt and money, including support with benefits, debt advice, managing finances and accessing additional help.
Explore UOK’s debt and money advice resources
Cost-of-living support in your area
Local councils also provide information about help available with the cost of living, including support with money, benefits, food, energy, housing and other essential costs.
Brighton & Hove
Find cost-of-living support from Brighton & Hove City Council
East Sussex
Find cost-of-living support from East Sussex County Council
You can also find information about national help with benefits, household bills, housing, childcare and other living costs through GOV.UK.
Explore cost-of-living support on GOV.UK
Check what financial support you may be entitled to
If you are unsure whether you could be receiving additional financial support, an online benefits calculator can be a useful place to start.
These tools ask about things such as your household, income, savings and housing costs and give you an estimate of benefits or other support you may be able to claim.
- GOV.UK benefits calculators – find free, independent calculators recommended through GOV.UK.
Explore benefits calculators on GOV.UK - Turn2us Benefits Calculator – a free and confidential calculator that can help you check which means-tested benefits you may be entitled to.
Use the Turn2us Benefits Calculator
You can also use the GOV.UK financial support checker to answer a few questions and explore help that may be available with living costs.
Check benefits and financial support on GOV.UK
Remember that benefit calculator results are estimates. If you are unsure about your circumstances or need help making a claim, speaking to a benefits adviser can help.
Other tools that can help with money worries
You may not need to be in debt to benefit from financial support or advice. There are free tools that can help you better understand your finances or decide what to deal with first.
Make sense of your household budget
MoneyHelper’s free Budget Planner can help you see what money is coming in, where it is going and what you have left.
Try the MoneyHelper Budget Planner
Work out which bills to deal with first
If you are struggling to keep up with several bills or payments, MoneyHelper’s Bill Prioritiser explains which payments may need your attention first and what steps you can take.
Use the MoneyHelper Bill Prioritiser
Find free debt advice
If debt is becoming difficult to manage, MoneyHelper’s Debt Advice Locator can help you find free and confidential debt advice, including online, telephone and face-to-face options.
Find free debt advice through MoneyHelper
Check whether you could receive a charitable grant
Some charities provide grants to people facing financial difficulty because of their circumstances, occupation, health, background or other needs. These usually do not need to be repaid.
The Turn2us Grants Search can help you look for charitable funds you may be eligible to apply to.
Search for charitable grants with Turn2us
Money worries can affect anyone
Financial difficulties can happen to anyone, and reaching out for support does not have to wait until things reach a crisis point.
Whether you want to check what you are entitled to, understand your options, get help with debt or simply feel more in control of your finances, support is available.
If money worries are affecting your mental health or wellbeing, UOK can also help you find local mental health and wellbeing support across Brighton & Hove and East Sussex.
