It's time to Talk Money in York

Let's Talk About Money

York Talk Money is back from Monday 3 November to Friday 14 November —and it’s here to help you make the most of your money.

Thousands of people in York are missing out on benefits and financial support they’re entitled to. With the cost of living still high, it’s more important than ever to make sure your finances are in the best possible shape.

Ask yourself:

Are you missing out on financial support?
Are you spending more than you need to on everyday essentials?

Financial fitness—or financial wellbeing—is about feeling confident and in control of your money. It means having the knowledge and tools to manage your finances day-to-day, and to handle both planned and unexpected events.

It can be difficult to start the conversation about money. That’s why #TalkMoney 2025 is a great opportunity to kickstart a conversation with friends, family or colleagues. In fact, building money conversations into our everyday lives can help us build the financial confidence and resilience needed to face whatever the future has in store for us.

If you’re not sure where to start, why not #StartTheConversation to improve financial wellbeing using the guides available on MoneyHelper.

Here are some simple steps you can take to boost your financial fitness:

Check what financial support you could be entitled to using the independent, free and anonymous benefits calculator at www.york.gov.uk/BenefitsCalculator

Check out www.york.gov.uk/benefits to find out about local support schemes.

If you’re over State Pension age and on a low income, check if you can get Pension Credit. Pension Credit can also help with housing costs such as ground rent or service charges. You might get extra help too, if you’re a carer, are disabled, or responsible for a child or young person.
Find out more at www.gov.uk/pension-credit

If you have children make sure you’re not missing out on help with childcare, school meals and more at

www.york.gov.uk/free-school-meals/eligibility-free-school-meals

www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

www.raiseyork.co.uk/childcare-search

www.raiseyork.co.uk/young-people/money-matters

Energy bills

1. Check you are on the cheapest tariff
You should check with your gas/electricity supplier to make sure you are on the cheapest tariff available for you. Some suppliers have tariff's for people on a low income.

Contact your energy supplier to make sure you are on the cheapest tariff available and see how much you can save.

2. See if you would be better off with a different provider. Use an accredited price comparison website to find and compare energy tariffs:

Check if you can save on your water bills

Yorkshire Water have 2 schemes.
Check if you are eligible for Water Sure or Water Support at
www.yorkshirewater.com/bill-account/help-paying-your-bill/

For lots more ways to save on your household bills
and where you can get help if you are struggling to make ends meet

Go to

www.livewellyork.co.uk/talkmoney

If you need assistance local services can help

It might seem difficult, but saving as little as £5 per week for a year, could build up over £250.

Save small amounts for those unexpected costs and to get ready for
- summer activities
- back to school and uniforms
- Christmas 2024

Spread the cost by setting something aside regularly.

Check out the best regular savings interest rates with your bank.

Money Saving Expert has advice on How to choose the right savings account

Open a Community First Community Bank savings account and you could get a £25 bonus.
Find out more about their Back to School and Christmas Savings Accounts at www.communityfirstcu.co.uk/savings

Borrow wisely

If you need to borrow use the Money Helper tool to see the different credit options available – including credit cards, loans, salary advances and many more.

Check out Citizens Advice guide for 'Top tips for borrowing'.

Community First Community Bank offer fair and affordable loans built around your needs. Whether you need a loan for an unexpected expense, a holiday or to help finance a new household item;

Community First offers special schemes too. Money management support to those working, including discounted borrowing rates, to making accessing the latest household appliances - including delivery, and where required installation's and the removal of old appliances - at discounted rates.

Find out more about how Community First Bank can help you manage your money and join today at www.communityfirstcu.co.uk or call 03030300010
Email info@communityfirstcu.co.uk

Don’t struggle alone. If you need help with benefits or money local organisations can help.
- See calendar below.
- Visit www.york.gov.uk/BenefitsAdvice or your local community venue
- www.york.gov.uk/talkmoney to find out more about local advice services.

For more money advice, leaflets and information, please visit www.livewellyork.co.uk/talkmoney .

Pick up a Worrying about Money? leaflet at your library or community centre.

Drop-in to community hub information events

Special York Talk Money Community Events

Join us for our welcoming and informative community advice events with practical advice, resources, and free giveaways!
Plus refreshments

Get advice and support on benefits, energy advice, water support, plus digital support to get advice and claim online.

📅 Date: Monday 3 November 2025
🕐 Time: 11.00am - 3.00pm
📍Venue: St Sampson's Centre, Church St, York YO1 8BE
CYC Benefits advice - Age UK York - Digital Support

📅 Date: Friday 7 November 2025
🕐 Time: 9.30am -11.00am
📍Venue: Tang Hall Community Centre Fifth Ave, Tang Hall, York YO31 0UG
CYC Benefits advice - National Energy Advice - Yorkshire Water - Digital support

📅 Date: Friday 7 November 2025
🕐 Time: 11.45am - 2.00pm
📍 Venue: Foxwood Community Centre Hub, Cranfield Place YO24 3HY
CYC Benefits advice - National Energy Advice - Yorkshire Water - Digital support

National Energy Advice
National Energy Advice Warm Homes, Healthy Futures team will be at both events on Friday 7 November to support individuals and families
- especially those living with health conditions or disabilities worsened by cold, damp, or poor-quality housing or those with children under 5.

Yorkshire Water
Yorkshire Water’s Community Engagement Team will be at both events on Friday 7 November to help & support customers to sign up for Water Support Schemes to help reduce their annual bills & Debt Schemes to help with water arrears, we can also sign you up to our free Priority Service Register.
Come along and make sure you are not paying more for your water than you need to.

Don't miss out—come along, get the know-how and confidence.

See you there!

Find out more about local welfare support and share your experiences

📅 Date: Thursday 6 November 2025

🕐 Time: 11.30am - 2.30pm

📍 Venue: York Medical Society, 23 Stonegate, York, YO1 8AW

Find out more about Local Welfare Assistance in York and share your experiences. Take part in activities which explore different aspects of the cost-of-living crisis and local welfare support in York.

Co-produced by York residents, this event is part of current lived experience research, which is part the Advice York Local Welfare Safety Net project. For more information see Festival Social Science.

Running from September to December, the project is working with York residents examining the financial support available to York residents, such as the Household Support Fund, York Financial Assistance Scheme, Council Tax support, and other local schemes; what works well and where improvements could be made.

Community drop-ins

There are regular drop-in information events across the City
For other events or dates - look at the What's On Directory

Day and times	Venue	Advice provider
Monday - Twice monthly 10:00am - 12:00 noon	Huntington Community Centre 26 Strensall Road, Huntington, York YO32 9RG Second and fourth Monday of the month	Citizens Advice York
Monday 10:00am-12:00 noon	Citizens Advice York West Offices, Station Rise, York YO1 6GA	Citizens Advice York
Monday - Monthly 11:00am – 1:00pm.	St Sampsons Centre Church Street, York, YO1 8BE - the first Monday of the month	City of York Council Benefits Adviser and Age UK York
Monday 10.00am - 4.00pm	The Hub @ 30 Clarence Street, 30 Clarence Street, York Y031 7DE	Peasholme Charity
Monday 11.00am to 1.00pm	York Foodbank The Gateway Centre Front Street Acomb YO24 3BZ	Peasholme Charity and Citizens Advice York
Monday – Monthly 11.30am to 2.30pm	Kyra Women’s Project, CMC, St. Saviourgate, York YO1 8NQ - the first Monday of the month	Peasholme Charity
Tuesday 9.15am to 11.00am	Clements Hall Nunthorpe Road YO23 1BQ	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Tuesday 10.00am to 12:00 noon	York Foodbank Vineyard Church 3 Fawcett Street, YO10 4AH	Peasholme Charity
Tuesday 10.00am to 12:00 noon	Community Café St Oswald's Church Fulford YO10 4HJ	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Tuesday 10.30am to 12.30pm	York Travellers Trust Open Living Room and Market 20 Falsgrave Crescent Clifton YO30 7AZ	Citizens Advice York
Tuesday 1.00pm to 3.00pm	Marjorie Waite Court Evelyn Crescent, Clifton YO30 6DX	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Tuesday 12:00 noon to 1.30pm	Community Café St Wulstan Church 48 Fossway Heworth YO31 8SL	City of York Council Benefits Adviser (weekly) and Citizens Advice York (every other week)
Wednesday – Every other week 9.00am to 11.00am	Tang Hall Primary School, Sixth Avenue, Tang Hall, York YO31 0UT	Peasholme Charity
Wednesday - Monthly 9.30am to 11.30am	Lidgett Community Café Lidgett Grove Methodist Church Wheatlands Grove, Acomb, YO26 5NH Last Wednesday of every month	Citizens Advice York
Wednesday 09:30am - 12:30pm	The Old School Mill Lane, Wigginton, York YO32 2PU - first 3 Wednesday of every month	Citizens Advice York
Wednesday 10.00am - 4.00pm	The Hub @ 30 Clarence Street, 30 Clarence Street, York Y031 7DE	Peasholme Charity
Wednesday 1.00pm to 3.00pm	Living Word Church 189 Huntington Road, YO31 9BP	Peasholme Charity
Alternate Wednesday 9.00am to 11.00am	Tang Hall Primary School Sixth Avenue Tang Hall YO31 0UT	Peasholme Charity
Thursday 10.00am to 12:00 noon	Chapelfields Community Centre Sanderson Court Community House, Bramham Road, Chapelfields YO26 5AR	City of York Council Benefits Adviser Citizens Advice York (every other week) and Peasholme Charity
Thursday 10.30am to 2.00pm	Planet Food pay-as-you-feel café and food store Southlands Community Centre, Bishopthorpe Road, YO23 1NX	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Thursday 2.00pm to 4.00pm	York Foodbank St Joseph's Church Hall ,Sutton Way, Kingsway North, YO30 6JX	Peasholme Charity
Friday 9.30am to 10.30am	Advice Hub Tang Hall Community Centre Fifth Ave, Tang Hall, YO31 0UG	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Friday - Monthly 10.30am to 12.30pm	Quick Queries Drop-In CYC Community Housing Office, 217 Lindsey Avenue, Holgate, YO26 4RL Second Friday of every month	Citizens Advice York
Friday 10.30am to 1.30pm	York Foodbank Cornerstone 119 Millfield Lane, Tang Hall, YO10 3AP	Peasholme Charity and Citizens Advice York
Friday 11.30am to 1.30pm	Community Furniture Store Unit 29 The Raylor Centre, James Street YO10 3DW	City of York Council Benefits Adviser
Friday 11.45am to 1.30pm	Foxwood Community Centre Cranfield Place, YO24 3HY	City of York Council Benefits Adviser Citizens Advice York Joseph Rowntree Housing Trust
Saturday 10.00am to 12:00 noon	The Belfrey @ The De Grey Rooms St Leonard's Place, YO1 7HB	Peasholme Charity

Watch our three information sessions recorded during York Talk Money our last campaign.

Jenny from MoneyHelper gives information on a range of topics from budgeting and saving to dealing with debt and talking to children about money. It will include demonstrations of tools and calculators available to help you manage your money and information about where you can go to get further support and guidance on all thing’s money.

Making the most of your money - Money Helper

It's more important than ever that everyone who is entitled to Pension Credit makes their claim. There are over 1500 people in York who are not claiming who could be eligible.

If you're over State Pension age and finding it tricky to make ends meet, you might be able to claim Pension Credit to top up your income.

York Welfare Benefits Unit will explain
- What is Pension Credit?
- How much Pension Credit could you get?
- Who is eligible to claim Pension Credit?
- How to claim Pension Credit
- What other help comes along with claiming Pension Credit, including Winter Fuel Payment

Find out about Pension Credit and how to claim - York Welfare Benefits Unit

York Energy Advice will help you make the right choices to save energy and money.
…And help the planet too!

Save energy & money - York Energy Advice