Managing your money

If you are concerned about being able to pay your rent, or if you need support or advice relating to welfare benefits, please get in touch with your housing officer.

Top tips

• Set yourself an affordable budget.
• Having a budget will help you identify rent payments and household bills.
• Set aside some money on a regular basis, no matter how small, to build a fund for unexpected bills, celebrations, or a rainy day.

Government help

Find information about government services, including benefits, work and finding a job, on the GOV.UK website.

You may be able to claim a reduction on your council tax bill if you are on Universal Credit. Any reduction will be based on your current circumstances.

To find out if you are eligible, you can make an application through the Sutton Council website.

Together for Sutton – Worried about the cost of living?

Together For Sutton provides professional, confidential information, advice, support, and advocacy to residents in the London Borough of Sutton Opening hours, Monday to Friday,  9am to 5pm. Tel  020 8254 2616  or online at Together for Sutton – Together for Sutton 

The Together for Sutton service was launched in July 2022.   This new service is designed to bring voluntary sector organisations together to provide a single access point for residents in the London Borough of Sutton.  Advisers will be able to put you in touch with the right local organisations.  Sutton residents can get professional, confidential, information, advice, support and advocacy in one place, empowering them to make informed choices. 

Universal Credit

Universal Credit is a monthly payment, paid by the government, for people who are on low income or are out of work. It is being rolled out in stages across the UK and is replacing some benefits.

Citizens Advice Sutton

Citizens Advice Sutton offer free, confidential, and impartial advice on a range of issues. You can speak to them about benefits, debt, housing and immigration.

Age UK Sutton

Age UK Sutton are able to offer advice on debt, benefits, housing, employment, social care and caring, and maximising your income.

Money Advice Service

The Money Advice Service is free and impartial. They offer excellent online advice and tips on debt and money advice, help with budgeting, and benefits advice.

Calculating your benefits

The GOV.UK website has information for both Universal Credit and Housing Benefit, as well as links to helpful and free to use benefits calculators.

These benefit calculators can help you to understand what benefits you could get, how to claim and how your benefits will be affected if you start work.

Christians Against Poverty

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) can help you with debt counselling. They also run Job Clubs and courses on managing your money. Their service is free, friendly, and can be arranged locally. Visit their website to see what local CAP services are available to you.

Reducing your fuel bills

You can reduce your bills by following these energy saving tips:

• shut outside doors;
• close curtains at night;
• shut all windows, unless you need ventilation;
• wear warm clothes in winter;
• turn off the heating in late spring and summer;
• boil only the water you need rather than filling the kettle completely;
• don’t leave appliances like televisions in standby mode; they still use electricity; instead, switch them off properly at the ‘off’ switch;
• turn off all lights when you don’t need them.

You should also check to see if you are entitled to a Winter Fuel Payment from the government.