Hardship

In this section you can find support for: 

• Debt
• Homelessness
• Poverty
• Unemployment

Debt

British Gas Energy Trust 

Support from an independent charity for families and individuals struggling to pay their energy bills. 

Business Debtline 

Business Debtline provide free, confidential and independent advice to businesses on how to deal with debt problems.
Helpline: 0800 197 6026 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am – 8pm)
Webchat with online adviser: (Monday – Friday 9am – 6.30pm) 

Citizens Advice Bureau - CAB 

The Citizens Advice Bureau offer advice across a variety of concerns including debt. Further information is available online about where to find a local office.

Debt Advice Foundation 

Debt advice 
Advice line: 0800 043 40 50 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am -6pm)

Government - Benefits Calculators 

Calculating benefit entitlement and how to claim, including benefits once in employment.

Government - Benefit Information 

Government information on benefits and tax credits, including eligibility criteria.

National Debtline 

National Debtline provide free, confidential and independent advice on debt problems for anyone in England, Wales and Scotland.
Helpline: 0808 808 4000 (lines open Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm, Saturday 9.30 - 1pm)
Web chat: Advisors available (Monday – Friday 9am -  8pm, Saturday 9.30am -1pm)

Money Helper 

A Government funded advisory service for unbiased money advice, including debt.
Advice line:0800 138 7777 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm)
Web chat: Advisors available (Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm)
Pensions Helpline: 0800 011 3797 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm) 
Pensions Web chat: Advisors available (Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm) 

Scotland Illegal Money Lending Unit  

Step Change

Step Change offer advice about budgeting and debt management.
Helpline: 0800 138 1111 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am - 8pm, Saturday 9am – 2pm) 

Stop Loan Sharks - England 

Safe place to report a loan shark, or to find out if you’re paying a loan shark or illegal money lender.

Wales Illegal Money Lending Unit 

Homelessness

Catch 22 

Catch 22 work in towns and cities across England and Wales supporting young people, they also help with offender rehabilitation. 

Centrepoint 

Supports homeless young people in London, Manchester, Sunderland and Yorkshire, and through partner charities across the UK.
Helpline: 0808 800 0661 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 5pm)
Online advisors: (available Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm)

Gingerbread 

Information from Gingerbread about housing options for single parents.
Helpline: 0808 802 0925 (lines open Monday 10am – 12pm, 2pm – 7pm, Tuesday 10am – 12pm, 2pm – 4pm, Wednesday 10am – 1pm, 4pm – 7pm and Thursday 10am - 12pm, 2pm – 4pm)
Advice webchat: (Monday - Thursday 12 – 2pm)

Housing Advice Northern Ireland 

Information and support for housing problems in Northern Ireland.
Housing Rights Service: 028 9024 5640 (lines open Monday – Friday 9.30am – 4.30pm)

Housing Benefit  

Government information on eligibility for claiming Housing Benefit. 

Salvation Army 

Providing services for homeless people in UK & Ireland.

Shelter Cymru - Wales  

Information and support for housing problems in Wales.
Emergency support: 08000 495 495 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm)   
Webchat: Online Monday – Friday 9am – 4pm)

Shelter - England and Shelter - Scotland  

Shelter give advice to anyone who is homeless or anyone with housing problems such as housing rights, harassment, benefits and hostel placements.
Housing adviceline: 0808 800 4444 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am – 6pm)  
Webchat: (online Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm)

The Albert Kennedy Trust  

Supports lesbian, gay or bi-sexual 16-25 year olds who are made homeless or living in a hostile environment. 
London: 0207 831 6562 (lines open Monday - Friday 10am - 4.30pm)
Manchester: 0161 228 3308 (lines open Monday - Friday 10am - 4.30pm)
Newcastle-upon-Tyne: 0191 281 0099 (lines open Monday – Friday 10am – 4.30pm)
Bristol: 011 7981 4085 (Monday – Friday 10am – 4.30pm)

The Mix  

The Mix offer advice and help on housing problems to young people up to age 25.
1-2-1 web chat (Monday - Friday 4pm – 11pm)
Email: help@themix.org.uk
Crisis Messenger: 24/7 for crisis support, text THEMIX to 85258 

Poverty

Child Poverty Action Group 

Campaigning to help low income families.

Christians Against Poverty - CAP 

Working to help people out from debt and poverty.

Fare Share 

Tackling food waste and hunger. 

Food Aware 

Taking wasted food to charities.

Magic Breakfast  

Delivering free breakfast food to primary schools.

The Trussell Trust 

Community projects tackling poverty, with foodbanks in many areas. 

Transforming Lives for Good - TLG 

A network of churches offering food to children during school holidays.

Turn2us 

Provides information and advice for those in financial need online, by phone and face to face through partner organisations. 

Unemployment

Apprenticeships 

Government information about apprenticeships and how to apply. 

Film + TV Charity 

Support and advice for anyone working behind the scenes in film, TV or cinema. 

Government - Find A Job  

Government online job search. 

Job Centre Plus

Contact information for anyone unable to use the online Find A Job search
Information: 0800 055 6688 (lines open Monday – Friday 8am – 5pm)
Textphone: 0800 023 4888 for those with speech or hearing difficulty (lines open Monday – Friday 8am- 5pm)

Job Seekers Allowance 

Government information about jobseekers allowance.

National Apprenticeship Service 

An online information and vacancy matching for apprenticeships. 

NHS Jobs - England and Wales 

NHS job search for England and Wales.

NHS Jobs - Scotland 

NHS job search for Scotland. 

Northern Ireland - Health and Social Care Jobs 

Health and Social Care job search for Northern Ireland.

Learndirect (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) 

Learndirect offer flexible learning opportunities.

King’s Trust 

Helps young people aged 13 -30 develop key skills, confidence and motivation to move into work, education or training.
Information line: 0800 842842 (lines open Monday – Friday 9am - 6pm)
Email: info@kingstrust.org.uk
Live Chat: (Online Monday – Friday 9am – 6pm)

Scotland - My World of Work 

Online information about finding work and building a career from Skills Development Scotland.
Information: 0800 917 8000 (Monday – Friday 9am - 5pm) 

Screenskills 

Skillset information about apprenticeships.