We're here to help you make the most of your income and understand your benefits. Our Benefits and Budgeting Calculator, provided by Policy in Practice, allows you to:
Simply click the 'Send to Advisor' button to send your results directly to our advisors, who can provide additional support or answer questions. You can also contact us at: newtenantsupport@communityhousing.co.uk
Start CalculatorThere are many organisations available to give you advice regarding budgeting and debts. Please see the below for external that may be able to help you.
Step Change - www.stepchange.org.
They offer free debt advice, and a range of solutions, tools and resources for people across the UK who are worried about money. They are registered with the Financial Conduct Authority. They offer various free debt and advice.
Citizens Advice Bureau - www.citizensadvice.org.uk.
They offer free advice on benefits, work, debt and money, housing, family issues, law and courts, immigration and health.
DHP (Discretionary Housing Payment) - Please see your local authority website for further advice.
Your local authority may be able to assist with a Discretionary Housing Payment (DHP). DHPs are payments that they may be able to make to give you further assistance towards your housing costs, where your costs are not already met in full by benefit. To qualify for a DHP you must be entitled to Housing Benefit or Universal Credit (including the housing element) and need further help to meet your costs.
Annual rent increase
If you are on Universal Credit, remember to report any changes in your rent every April. Your rent increase letter will tell you the exact date. This can be done by logging into your Universal Credit Journal and selecting 'Report A Change/Housing Costs'. Once submitted, our Income Team will verify your updated housing costs, although there may be a slight delay due to processing times.
For support with reporting your rent change, or for guidance on UC Managed Migration, email us at income@communityhousing.co.uk or call 0300 003 5454.
Managed Migration to Universal Credit
Universal Credit (UC) is replacing six legacy benefits with a single monthly payment to simplify support for people who are working, seeking work, or unable to work due to health or caring responsibilities. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is issuing Migration Notices to inform individuals of their transition to UC. There is no need to act until you receive this notice, which could arrive anytime from now until 2026, depending on your current benefits.
If you receive a Migration Notice, you must act as soon as possible, as your current benefits could end automatically. You can use the Benefits and Budgeting calculator Better Off Calculator - Policy in Practice to calculate how much Universal Credit you will be entitled to. If you have questions or need support, please contact our team at newtenantsupport@communityhousing.co.uk.
UC is a benefit for working aged people designed to simplify the welfare system. It is paid calendar monthly, so if you are used to paying your rent weekly, fortnightly or 4 weekly, you may wish to adjust how you pay. We are happy to talk to you about that.
Managing the cost of energy
If your energy bills are rising and you don't know what to do or where to turn, then we've pulled together some expert advice and information on the practical steps you can take to try and make things a little easier.
Talk to your energy provider
Priority Services Register
Your supplier will also have a Priority Services Register that you can access if you are at risk of not being able to afford your energy bills. This is a free support service that offers a range of services to help people in specific situations, such as:
If your situation isn't listed, you might still be able to register - just ask your supplier.
Extra help for those on prepayment meters
If you use a prepayment meter and are finding it hard to keep it topped up, there's extra help available. You might be able to get:
What you can get depends on your supplier, so it's best to talk to them as soon as you can.
Shopping around for the best energy tariff
In the past, switching your energy supplier was a great way to cut energy bills. However recently, savings aren't what they used to be, but some deals are starting to return, so it may be worth checking again.
Switching is easy - your gas and electricity stay the same, and you won't lose your supply. No one visits your home unless you want/need a smart meter. You can now switch in as little as five working days.
Use a comparison site, such as Cheap Energy Club, to see if switching could save you money by seeing the top energy deals available to you. You'll need your address, current supplier and tariff, and how much energy you use in a year (check a recent bill for this). If you don't know your actual energy use, most comparison sites can estimate for you.
Energy saving advice
Small changes can make a big difference to your energy use and your bills. You can find some helpful advice and practical tips using the links below:
Winter fuel payment
For the 2025/26 winter, the Winter Fuel Payment eligible people born on or after 21 September 1959 will receive a Winter fuel payment in England and Wales. Payments are issued in November or December, and the amount is either 3200 or £300 per household, with the higher amount for those over age 80. .
Maximising your income
It's essential to regularly check your benefits with a trusted advisor. Our Lettings and New Tenancy Support Team can help you with benefit claims, income support and reducing unnecessary expenses. Contact us at 0300 003 5454 or newtenantsupport@communityhousing.co.uk.
We regret that we are unable to accept any Wellbeing Fund applications currently.
If you need further assistance, then please contact Lettings and New Tenancy Support Team on 0300 003 5454 or email newtenantsupport@communityhousing.co.uk
Our Wellbeing Fund provides a fast, flexible support for those facing immediate financial challenges and is open to all customers of Community Housing including shared owners.
This support aims to provide short-term assistance while applicants work with teams like Money Advice and Sustainability or Citizens Advice to stabilise their financial situation and develop a sustainable budget.
The fund is designed to help cover the cost of essential items such as food, energy costs and household necessities like washing machines. It can also provide short-term support whilst waiting for a benefit application to be processed.
Community Housing established the Wellbeing Fund to assist households experiencing a genuine financial crisis, helping them avoid making decisions that could have lasting consequences. No repayment is required as long as funds are legitimately obtained. However, the fund is limited and prioritises households in immediate need, with a maximum of £250 per application. Once funds are depleted then no further awards can be made.
What the fund can and cannot help with
The fund can help cover the cost of food, essential items such as washing machines, energy and utility costs as well as helping to bridge the gap between a benefit application and first payment. However, the fund does not cover items like rent, council tax, luxury goods or school uniforms - other resources may be available for these needs. We no longer cover the costs of cookers, offering microwaves or air fryers as alternatives.
| Examples what the crisis fund can help with | Examples what the crisis fund cannot help with |
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* schools/academies have a hardship fund that parents experiencing financial difficulties can access
** The Big Difference Scheme run by Severn Trent may be able to assist with water rates or meter charges
How often can I access the Wellbeing Fund?
The Wellbeing Fund is not intended to supplement income for day-to-day expenses; hence, each household is limited to one claim per year per household. Households must also fully engage with support services following their initial claim to qualify for future support. Please note that the fund does not provide direct cash payments, and all decisions are final, with no option for appeal.
Required information and assessment
To assess each application, we review bank statements and conduct a full financial assessment. You will be asked to submit 2 months bank statements either by email to wellbeingfund@communityhousing.co.uk or in person at our Head Office. Bank statements will be deleted as soon as we have made a decision about your claim and if we do not receive copies within 5 days, we will not be able to process your claim.
Applicants may be asked about discretionary spending, and cooperation is expected. We will work to identify any unclaimed benefits, supporting applicants in accessing their entitlements.
Are there any exclusions?
We are unable to support anyone Community Housing are actively pursuing for legal reasons, such as breach of tenancy or anti-social behaviour. However, customers with rent arrears are not excluded from applying, provided they are working with our officers to manage their debt.
Application process:
If you need further assistance, then please contact the Lettings and New Tenancy Support team on 0300 003 5454 or email newtenantsupport@communityhousing.co.uk
If you are struggling financially and have been offered loans with high-interest rates or unfavourable terms, be cautious of illegal lenders (loan sharks). For further support, visit Stop Loan Sharks.
FAIRshare has now merged with JUST Credit Union. They are a not-for-profit community bank, owned by their members, so they can provide a safe home for savings with access to low-cost affordable loans.
If you are already a customer with FAIRshare, your account will remain the same. You just need to re-register for online access on the JUST Credit Union website. You need your new membership number (found in your email), together with your phone number and email address, to complete the registration.
To join as a new member, visit www.justcreditunion.org/ or call 01743 252 325 for further assistance.
The two main foodbanks in Wyre Forest are the Kidderminster Foodbank (affiliated to the Trussel Trust) and the Wyre Forest Foodbank. Both require a referral from an approved advisor.
The Wyre Forest Foodshare & Community Café located at the Walshes Community Centre in Linden Avenue, Stourport-on-Severn, operates several times a week, sharing surplus food and a community café, all run by volunteers.
The Lettings and New Tenancy Support team can refer you to one of the foodbanks for a food parcel. You can ask any of our staff to make the referral to the team, and one of our colleagues will contact you.
Little Changes, Lasting Savings is our campaign aimed at helping you make small, simple changes that can save you money over time.
Below you'll find a list of articles we've written as part of the campaign, to help you make the most of your money - from simple budgeting tips and energy saving awareness, to finding out how you can save more on your food shop. Click each heading to read the full article.
Financial support you could be entitled to
Simple ways to save money on your food shopping
Simple ways to save energy at home and cut your bills
