We’re still here to help

Money Skills are here and happy to help assist the residents of Bolton. If you are supporting someone who is struggling financially, we are trying to encourage people to address any arrears sooner rather than later. We currently have capacity for appointments to take place with a very short wait time, now is a good time to seek help.

We are carrying out one to one appointments by telephone, however, if a virtual session is needed, we will do our best to accommodate this.

We can help if someone you are working with has fallen behind with payments for:

• Council Tax
• Energy Bills
• Credit Cards
• Loans
• Rent/Mortgage payments
• Catalogues
• Other payment arrears

We can also give advice on:

• Budgeting
• Savings on Gas and Electric
• Energy Efficiency
• Warm Home Discount

Ban on evictions has now ended

During the pandemic a ban on evictions was put in place to protect tenants who accrued arrears due to the effects of Covid19. This has now ended, and landlords are able to take court action against those in arrears.

Money Skills are able to help – please refer customers to us who are in rent arrears or facing eviction. We work very closely with Housing Options so if necessary we can also link into this service to help your clients. Contact us on 01204 331965 or by emailing moneyadvice@bolton.gov.uk

Could your service users save £140 on their electric bill?

This is a government backed scheme whereby, subject to eligibility, energy suppliers will make a contribution of £140 towards winter fuel bills.

People may be entitled to a payment under the Warm Home Discount Scheme if they are:

• On a low income        
• In receipt of benefits
• Spend 10% of their household income on gas and electricity

> DWP Warm Home Discount Guide

> Warm Home Discount Suppliers Taking Part

We also offer advice on switching suppliers and tariffs for cheaper energy costs, we can help those who live, work or study in the Bolton area!

Statutory Breathing Space Schemes

On 4th May 2021, the government introduced two new schemes to enable people to access a period when creditors cannot take action to enforce most types of debt. The standard breathing space lasts for 60 days and is intended to give debtors time to reach a solution with their creditors, and the mental health crisis breathing space last for as long as the debtor is undergoing crisis treatment.

Applications are made by an authorised debt advisor via an online portal managed by The Insolvency Service, which then notifies their creditors that the person is in a breathing space scheme. For the mental health crisis breathing space, an approved mental health professional must make the referral for debt advice, and a contract for this scheme has been awarded to one service. Bolton`s Money Skills Service can make applications to the breathing space scheme where appropriate, so please continue to refer clients to us in the usual way, and an appointment will be made to assess all the options available to them. If you have any queries, please contact us on 01204 331965.

Need some advice about benefits?

Welfare Rights Officer Rachel Carroll from Bolton at Home is available to support members of the Bolton community with welfare benefit advice. 

This service is available to homeowners, private rented, housing associations etc.  The service includes support and help with benefit entitlement checks, benefit applications, medical assessments, mandatory reconsiderations and much more. 

Referrals can be made by email to welfarerights@boltonathome.org.uk or by telephone on 01204328091.