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Hertfordshire County Council

Debt

If you find yourself in debt, get help straight away - it'll just get worse if you ignore it. This is an issue that will not go away. 

Your personal advisor can help you make sense of the debt and give you advice on where to go for help. They can help with repayment plans, making budget and understanding the financial decisions that may have caused this.

Get debt advice on their website, over webchat or by phone.

 

 

Banking

You should have a bank account by the age of 16. This helps when you get allowances and keeps your money safe.

If you have a child trust fund or junior individual savings account, at 16 you'll be able to manage your own account and at 18 you can access your funds.

If you haven't got a bank account, your worker can help you set one up and provide ID or proof of address.

The Citizens Advice has some great advice about:

Opening a bank account Credit cards – pros and cons

 

Pre-paid cards

If you can't set up your own bank account, we can give you a pre-paid card.

It's a debit card with an agreed amount on it (up to £500). You can check your balance and transactions online. We can check the transactions, as well.

There's no overdraft facility and there are restrictions on what you can buy. For example, you can't use it for gambling or petrol.

Speak to your worker to find out more.

 

Budgeting

Use this tool from Citizens Advice to work out your monthly or weekly budget. This'll help you stay on top of your income and spending, so problems will be easier to spot.


Save money on your food shopping:

Advice from the NHS.

Techniques to slash your food bill, from Money Saving Expert.

Vouchers and discounts from Money Saving Expert.

 

More discounts and vouchers

 

Bills

Bills you might need to budget for:

  • gas / electric – you might get a combined bill or 2 separate bills, depending on how it's set up.
  • council tax 
  • TV licence 
  • internet / phone / TV – most of the time you'll have a 'package' with all 3 together in one bill.
  • home contents insurance
  • water 
  • rent.


Understanding your bills:

Many companies have information online to help customers understand their bills.

Try searching for:

"understanding my [company name] bill"

For example, understanding my Hertfordshire council tax bill.


If you'd like to speak to someone, you can ask your worker or contact Citizens Advice.

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