Did you know that we can help you to manage your money?

At WWHA we want to help you access the right information to help you manage your money.

We have two Money Advice Officers who are able to give advice and guide you to getting the right information you need to make the right choices for you. 

Mike Halloran and Les Cooper can assist you with:

• access to basic bank accounts
• making sure you’re not paying too much for your gas or electricity
• making sure you’ve got the right home contents insurance cover for when mishaps occur
• accessing low cost loans for when you need to borrow money
• advising on maximising your benefit entitlements
• access to credit union saving schemes

Below are links to some websites that may help you to make the most of your money.  Our Money Advice Officers can help you apply for assistance or read on to find out how you can help yourself.


Helping you manage your energy bills

Click here to dowload our Energy Advice leaflet (PDF 1012kb)


Credit Unions

A credit union is a community savings and loans co operative that can offer you a savings account and low cost loans.
To find the telephone number and opening times of your local credit union click on the link

http://www.abcul.org/page/members.cfm


Cheap, safe - and fast - loans with Moneyline Cymru

Moneyline Cymru offers affordable loans across its five outlets in South Wales.

If you can’t get a loan through a bank, a building society or a credit union you can now apply for help and a loan from Moneyline Cymru. This is the new, fast, easy, safe and friendly way to borrow money.

You can visit Moneyline Cymru at their offices in:

Newport, 56 Bridge Street

Cardiff, 184 Cowbridge Road East, Canton

Cwmbran, 6 The Arcade

Pontypridd, 8 Ceridwen Terrace

Bridgend, 92 Nolton Street

…though it's a good idead to call the Moneyline Cymru helpine on 0845 643 1553 first.

Some quick facts:

• Since opening in winter 2009, nearly 500 loans have been made by Moneyline Cymru.
• Moneyline Cymru staff are working with the All Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit to beat loan sharks.

For more information click on this link to Moneyline Cymru's new website.

Welsh Water Assist

If any of the following applies to you, you may be able to receive reduced water charges:

1. The supply is a household only supply
2. The bill payer or member of the household is in receipt of qualifying benefit or tax credit and
3. Either 3 or more children under the age of 19 are living in the household for whom child benefit is claimed
4. Or someone in the household has a medical condition that requires significant additional use of water.

Click here to find out more or to apply:

http://www.dwrcymru.com/english/domestic/problemspaying/index.asp


Home Heat Helpline

Calls to Home Heat Helpline
– 0800 33 66 99 are free.  Specially trained advisors area able to advise you on:

• Benefits
• Grants for free home insulation
• Reduced Tariffs
• Special payment options your energy supplier provides to help you if you’re struggling to pay your fuel bills

You can call yourself or on behalf of a relative, friend or neighbour.  The Home Heat Helpline is open 9am-8pm Monday to Friday and 10am-2pm on Saturdays.

Click here to find out more http://www.homeheathelpline.org.uk/


Turn2us

A new website has just been launched which can help you to manage your money.

http://www.turn2us.org.uk/default.aspx

It offers:

• A Benefits Checker that helps people ensure that they are receiving all the welfare benefits they are entitled to
• A Grants Search question containing the details of thousands of grant-giving charities that may be able to provide financial support and other services
• A confidential ‘My Turn2us’ account that can be used to make online enquiries and applications to grant-giving charities
• Information and interactive tools covering a wide range of subjects on welfare benefits, grants and managing money

If you would further information or are unable to access the internet you can call them on 0808 802 2000.


Housing Debt Helpline Wales

The Housing Debt Helpline Wales offers support to individuals and families  who are finding it difficult to meet their mortgage or rental payments.

Call free on 0800 107 1340 from 8.00am-8.00pm Monday to Friday

Specially trained advisors are available at the end of the phone to help you reach a realistic solution to your housing debt problems. The helpline counsellors have a thorough understanding of debt advice and have helped thousands of people in similar situations. 

Over the phone helpline advisors will perform an assessment of your situation and provide you with immediate help and advice or in more complex cases, the offer of a counselling appointment.

The helpline is available free of charge simply call or click here:
http://www.housing-debt-helpline-wales.org/

Moneymadeclear

Moneymadeclear from the UK’s Consumer Financial Education Body, offers step by step guides for all your financial questions. When it comes to your money, their impartial information and tools can help you work out what’s right for you.

http://www.moneymadeclear.org.uk/

Divorce and Separation Calculator

Moneymadeclear's impartial website offers guidance on the money worries around divorce or separation that both professionals and consumers can trust. 

They have also produced the first interactive calculator of its kind to help people draw up a budget to stay on top of their finances, as well as enabling them to get a useful estimate of how they could split their finances from one household to two. It has been created with help from several experts in this field, including Relate, Resolution, National Family Mediation, Families Need Fathers and the Family and Parenting Institute.

To visit Moneymadeclear's website and the Divorce and Separation Calculator click here.

Beat the Loan Sharks

The Welsh Illegal Money lending unit was set up in 2007 to tackle the problems caused by loan sharks.

For further information please click here:

http://www.tradingstandardswales.org.uk/index.asp?itemid=55

or to report a loan shark call them on 0300 123 3311.

Home Contents Insurance

We recommend that all residents take out home contents insurance to protect their possessions against loss, damage or theft as the Association is not liable.

If you don't have home contents insurance your possessions aren't covered if you experience flooding, fire or theft.

From as little as £1.00 per week you can insure the contents of your home and have peace of mind that the things precious to you are covered. Compare this with the cost of having to replace these items if they were damaged or stolen.

The National Housing Federation scheme offers have a home contents insurance scheme designed to suit your needs. The benefits of their policy include:

• Premiums can be paid weekly - when you pay your rent.
• Low minimum sums insured (£6,000 for people over 60 and £9,000 for others)
• "New for old" cover.
• No policy excess to pay on claims (other than £50 for accidental damage).
• Includes freezer contents cover and personal liability insurance in addition to insurance against fire, theft, accidental damage, vandalism and water damage.

For more information please contact us on 0800 052 2526.

Moneysaver
The Association has developed its ‘Moneysaver’ project to help residents who are experiencing financial problems. This FREE, CONFIDENTIAL and IMPARTIAL service offers advice on:

• Budgeting
• Accessing and managing bank accounts
• Affordable borrowing
• Appropriate savings products
• Affordable insurance protection
• Debt advice

These services are delivered on our behalf by Pennysmart Money Advice and Training in north Wales and by the DRAMA (Debt Redemption and Money Advice) project in the south. 

If you would like further information please speak to your Housing Officer or telephone the Customer Service Centre on 0800 052 2526 and ask to speak to Michael Halloran or Les Cooper.

Financial Inclusion Conference: Making the Connections - 15th July 2010 at the Metropole Hotel in Llandrindod Wells

More than 100 experts from the worlds of advice, finance and housing attended a ground-breaking conference in mid Wales to look at ways of tackling financial exclusion in Wales.

The very successful conference was jointly hosted by WWHA, lead organisation of the North Wales Financial Capability Forum, and Powys Citizens Advice Bureau, the South, Mid and West Wales Financial Capability Forum lead organisation.

The conference, entitled Financial Inclusion - Making the Connections’, marked the first anniversary of the launch of the Welsh Assembly Government’s financial inclusion strategy entitled ‘Taking everyone into account’.

To view the speakers' presentations, click on the titles below:

Bill Hudson - Financial Inclusion Strategy Manager, Welsh Assembly Government
Fran Targett - Director, Citizens Advice Cymru
Shayne Hembrow - Operations Director, Wales & West Housing Association