If you want to speak to someone about your financial situation, our TfS partner, Citizens Advice Sutton, may be able to help you with their dedicated Debt Team. 

Citizens Advice Sutton's specialist debt advisers can advise you about options for managing your debts, including negotiated repayments, token offers, bankruptcy, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), Debt Relief Orders (DROs) and maximising your income.

If you need financial support, please contact our TfS partner Citizens Advice Sutton directly on 020 8405 3552

However, we appreciate that talking about money can feel embarrassing and you may not want to speak to anyone about this yet. So if you would prefer to explore your options first, then the below information may be a good starting place to help you kick this search off.

Carrying out your own online research. 

If you wanted to search online to understand more about your finances in your own time, the best place to start is the Money Helper website. Here you can explore different aspects of financial pressures from redundancy to debt.

Be careful of financial scams.

Please keep in mind that many commercial organisations have a financial incentive in providing expensive and often inapprropriate financial support, rather than other, more appropraite solutions. If you are not sure where to start with this one, please do not part with any more money but speak to TfS first to receive FREE, confidential and impartial support.  

Friends Against Scams is a National Trading Standards Scams Team initiative which aims to protect and prevent people from becoming victims of scams by empowering people to take a stand against scams. Help protect yourself and others against scams by finding out more about them on the Friends Against Scams website. 

TfS partners who can support you with financial enquiries: 

	If you are over 50 years old, please contact our TfS partner Age UK Sutton. Here, our TfS partner's specialist staff and volunteers can also help you to challenge welfare benefits and tax credits decisions in order to maximise your income.
	If you are a Carer, please contact our TfS partner Sutton Carers Centre. Here, our TfS partner's specialist staff and volunteers can also help you to challenge welfare benefits and tax credits decisions in order to  maximise your income.
	If you need general debt and beneifts support, please contact our TfS partner Citizens Advice Sutton. Here, our TfS partner's specialist staff and volunteers can also help you to challenge welfare benefits and tax credits decisions in order to  maximise your income.
	If you need support in completing benefit forms, please contact our TfS partner Volunteers Centre Sutton. If eligible, support with the following forms is available:  The forms our volunteers support the residents to complete includes: PIP Forms PIP Review Disability Living Allowance for Children Capability for Work Forms (UC50 & ESA50) Attendance Allowance Forms

Reducing costs in your home.

We often have several projects running that can help support residents with making their homes more energy efficient, ultimately looking to reduce your bills and outgoings. Should you wish to explore this with us, please contact TfS and we will work out your next steps with the right kind of support. 

Gas & electricity bills.

If you’re struggling to afford your gas and electricity bills at the moment, take a look here at the Citizen's Advice Sutton's step by step guide, TfS may also be able to support you with this, so please do call us.

If you need to speak to someone about your welfare benefits, for example housing benefits, then the Sutton Council Welfare Team would be an ideal place to start if not TfS, you can call them on 020 8770 5000. It is worth keeping an eye on their household funding page here to see if you are eligible for one of their grants.

For information and advice on saving energy and water, reducing energy bills, accessing financial support, installing renewables and more, contact Energy Advice London free on 0808 196 8260 or visit their website here. 

Water bills.

If you’re struggling to afford your bills at the moment, reducing outgoings is key, and your water expenses may be something you can take a look at. For financial support with this, please have a look at the following websites:

Thames Water

SES Water

Food banks & shops.

There are several food banks and community spaces in and around Sutton. The best place to search for them is on the Sutton Information Hub Food Support page here.

You can also find information and support for the Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme in Sutton here, as well as make bookings.

Community champions.

If you are in need of support with clothes and other household items, the Sutton Community Champions may be able to help.

Cost of living crisis.

If you’re struggling with money, there are things you can do to save on your regular living costs. Check what to do if you need help with living costs.

Keep an eye out here for the Sutton Council Household Support Fund, you may be eligible for a £150 grant. If you are not eligible, the team may be able to signpost you to other support.

You can also look for applying for support here with Sutton Council in the case of a crisis.

Seeking support if you are experiencing economic abuse.

If you experiencing economic abuse in a relationship, please contact Sutton DASS, Sutton's Domestic Abuse Services, via their online referral form here or by calling them on 020 8092 7569. Please remember, in the case of an emergency call the Emergency Services as soon as safely possible on 999, and if you are worried about being overheard, you can make a silent call by pressing 55. The call handler will then stay silent, listen to the situation and organise the correct help.

If you need to speak to someone outside of working hours, please try the National Domestic Abuse Helpline's freephone number which is available 24-hours a day on 0808 2000 247 or by visiting their website here.