CitizensAdviceWestBerkshire

Reducing your monthly mortgage payments Check how to cut down your mortgage costs, including how to reduce your monthly payments and switch mortgage lender.

If you're finding it hard to pay your mortgage, you might be able to:
➡️ Reduce your household costs
➡️ Switch to a cheaper mortgage deal
➡️ Reduce your mortgage payments

Find out more ⤵️

If you’re having trouble with your heat network supplier, the Citizens Advice consumer service can help.

Contact a specialist adviser ⤵️
bit.ly/4nLaces

#EnergyAdvice #EnergyHelp #ConsumerAdvice #CitizensAdvice

If you get a text asking you to pay to get your parcel or reschedule the delivery, it’s usually a scam.

❌ Don’t click any links - delivery companies won’t ask you to pay them through a link in a text.

Check our advice ⤵️
bit.ly/3VDCtbh

#DeliveryScams #ParcelDelivery #ConsumerAdvice

Let’s talk about debt How can you get support?

More and more people are coming to us for help with debt.

Whether it’s credit cards, loans, or everyday bills piling up, financial stress can feel impossible to escape. But help is available.

We can help ⤵️
bit.ly/4h3a1Zv

#DebtAdvice #DebtHelp #CitizensAdvice #WeCanHelp

Starting an apprenticeship soon?

This means you’ll be starting a role in the workplace where you learn, gain experience and get paid.

You’ll be an employee with a contract of employment so it’s important to know your rights — and we can help with that ⤵️
wearecitizensadvice.org.uk/starting-an-...

Picture of young male student working on a laptop. text reads: "Didn't get the results you wanted? You've got options"

If your exam results weren't what you hoped for, it can be tough to know what to do next.

Our friends at student mind can help you with free resources and guidance.

bit.ly/3zQOjkv

Help us support parents and children who are facing financial hardship and housing problems, which are getting worse in our area.

Please donate: app.thegoodexchange.com/project/2104...

If you can’t afford the food you need there are food banks that can help.

You’ll usually need to get a referral to a food bank before you can use it.

Our advice can help ⤵️
bit.ly/4dcdJxO

☀️ Travelling in Europe this summer?

Make sure you got everything covered, from your passport validity to travel insurance.

Here’s what you need to know ⤵️
bit.ly/457SkSY

⚠️ If you bought a car, van or motorbike on finance after April 2007, you might be owed compensation.

If you think your lender paid a commission to your dealer, you should complain to your lender. Our advice can help ⤵️
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-mon...

❗ Too many people face insecure conditions at work or are denied the support they need by their employers.

We’ve published a report into the relationship between work and health through the stories of people we support ⤵️

Watch out for HMRC scams❗️
Fraudsters pose as HMRC via text, email, or calls saying:
• You’re owed a refund
• You owe tax

⚠️ HMRC never asks for personal/financial info by text or email or pressures you to act fast. Stay alert!

Read below in the comment section for more info 👇

Dealing with rent arrears Check you’re responsible for paying rent arrears, find a way of affordably repaying them and make sure you're getting all the help you're entitled to.

If you’re behind on your rent payments, you should:

📝 Check how much rent you owe
📞 Talk to your landlord about the arrears
🔍 Get help to pay off the rent

Here’s how you can deal with rent arrears ⤵️

Making sure your flat is fire safe Find out how to make sure your home is fire safe, and who is responsible for fire safety.

Understanding who's responsible for making your flat fire safe depends on:

➡️ Your tenancy agreement
➡️ When your home was built
➡️ Whether you have a private landlord

Find out more about fire safety ⤵️

Check your employment status Find out what your employment status is so you can understand how it affects your rights.

It's important to know if you're an employee, a worker or self-employed.

Your employment status affects what rights you have at work.

We can help you understand ⤵️

Check your notice period when resigning Find out how much notice you need to give when resigning and how to negotiate a reduced notice. You can also check what happens to your holiday entitlement.

💭 If you’re thinking of resigning, make sure you find out how much notice you need to give.

This depends on your contract and how long you’ve been in your job.

Here’s what you need to know ⤵️

So many #scams around at the moment so do double check any text/whatsapp/email before replying or clicking on any link.

If something you ordered hasn't arrived Check what to do if a parcel hasn't arrived and how to spot scam messages about it. Check your rights to a refund or another delivery and how to contact the seller.

📦 Not received your parcel?

It’s the seller’s responsibility to make sure the item you bought from a business is delivered to you.

There are some steps you can take ⤵️

Heat network customers are being hit with high prices, unfair billing and aggressive debt collection practices banned across most of the energy industry.

As the official consumer champion for heat networks we interviewed 50 people on heat networks from across the country.

Here’s what we found… 🧵

"It would always be better for people to be in a position where they have enough income to be able to pay for their essential costs."

Dame Clare Moriarty, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, spoke to us about the impact of the rising cost of essentials on low-income households ⤵️

Check what benefits to claim if you’re sick or disabled Find out what benefits you should claim if you're sick or disabled. There are a few options and you should apply for the one that suits your circumstances best.

You might be able to claim benefits if you can’t work because you’re sick or disabled.

It’s important to check what you might be entitled to.

Here’s what you need to know ⤵️

The Good Exchange The Good Exchange is a not-for-profit, on-line matching platform that has been designed to address one of today’s biggest charitable fundraising challenges – how to best match those organisations and…

We are seeking funding to help us support parents and children who are facing financial hardship and housing problems, which are getting worse in our area.

Please follow the link app.thegoodexchange.com/project/2104... to donate.

Were you moved to a prepayment meter without your permission?

Did your supplier move you to a prepayment meter between 1 January 2022 and 31 January 2023?

You might be able to get compensation if they moved you without your permission.

Check our online advice for more, link in bio.
bit.ly/4nFDawG

Image shows a magnifying glass highlighting a pound sign. Text reads, "What help can I get with the cost of living?"

Worried about being able to afford essentials like food and bills?

Find out more about the support available ⤵️
www.citizensadvice.org.uk/debt-and-mon...

You might feel you're working too many hours if you’re working overtime a lot.

✅ Check what your contract says about doing work on top of your usual working hours.

Our online advice can help ⤵️
bit.ly/44Eq1LA

We interviewed 50 people on heat networks from across the country and found that they faced:

💷 Significant price increases
✉️ Unfair back bills
🛑 Aggressive debt collection practices
💬 Inadequate customer service

Read more in our latest report ⤵️
bit.ly/44nZIup

🦽 It’s Consumer Awareness week and we're helping you #ShopAware for disability aids.

Whether for yourself or a loved one, we have advice on finding trustworthy sellers and your rights if you run into issues.

Read more on our blog ⤵️
bit.ly/3RP5H4j

The latest scam alerts from Which? - Which? The scams you need to know about this month, including Boots impersonation scams and fake crypto offers

Which? warn about DWP ‘Energy Allowance’ scam‼️

Which? warned about a scam text claiming to be from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) saying that customers are eligible for an 'energy allowance' of up to £300.

👉 You can read more here: shorturl.at/AzRNB

#scams #uk #energyallowance #scam

Today is VE Day, honoring the courage and sacrifices of those who secured victory in Europe. We reflect on the heroes who fought for freedom, ensuring a better future. Let’s keep their spirit of unity and resilience alive.