York Talk Money

This page is about getting us all talking money and to let you know about the support available and where to get help both online and across the city.

The effect of the pandemic has made it more important than ever to start conversations about money. Building money conversations into our everyday lives also helps us to be more financially confident, resilient and face whatever the future throws at us.

Get hints, tips, advice, support and much more.

You will

Feel more confident about managing your money
Know where to get good information and advice
Know what financial support is available and how to get it
Be confident about getting the best deal on your bills, such as gas, electricity and internet
Know where to get debt advice to help deal with problem debts
Know where you can go for support, if you need more help

As well as lots of information below, you can get information, advice and support on managing money from across the city.

Would you like to feel more in control of your finances?

The MoneyHelper’s free and flexible nine-week plan will help you build your confidence to manage your money. Weekly steps and helpful tools can help you cut your spending, develop core saving muscles, and create better habits for a long-term cash confident future.

Are you up for the Couch to Financial Fitness challenge?

Find out about this and about making the most of your money at

Money Helper

or watch the introduction to Couch to Financial Fitness video

There are a range of benefits people can apply for to support them in different circumstances. Some benefits are administered by local authorities and some are administered by central government.

Use a free independent benefits calculator to find out:

what benefits you could get
how to claim

Benefits calculators (GOV.UK)

Or visit www.york.gov.uk/benefits

Make sure you’re on the right step - Take the Quids In Future-Proof Finance Quiz

So just how good are you with money? We're challenging you to take the Quids in! Mega Money Quiz and find out!

Try the Simple Energy Advice energy efficiency calculator
See if you can get grant-funded insulation for low income households through our Home Upgrade Grant (HUG).
Comparing and switching supplier or energy tariff may make a difference to your gas and electricity bills. However, since the increases in prices people should be very careful when switching tariff as this could make you worse off. Follow these steps and see if you can make any savings.
If you need advice and support on saving energy, a number of local organisations can help, including York Energy Advice
We don’t want anyone to worry about paying for the water they need. If you’re struggling to pay your water bill Yorkshire Water can help. There’s immediate short term and longer-term schemes you can apply for. Visit Yorkshire Water - help paying your bill for more information

Did you know, Broadband customers who switched saved an average of £48 a year while those with a combined TV and broadband deal saved an average of £96 a year? Find out the best ways to save on landline and broadband bills. Some providers offer social tariffs which are only available to customers who receive certain government benefits.
If you are claiming benefits and looking for work, talk to your Job Coach about help for job seekers to get online from the DWP
Take a look at the Which? money-saving tips, which could leave you thousands of pounds better off and can be started in a matter of minutes.
Think about reuse and recycling, including York Community Furniture Store

York Learning offers courses and programmes to help you get into work or support you whilst in work.

The Daily Jobseeker is updated regularly with useful information for job seekers including CV tips, advice from recruitment experts and interview tips

Download our York Apprenticeship Guide for more information about apprenticeships. If you're already in employment, you could do an apprenticeship as part of your professional development

Sign up to receive the weekly York apprenticeships bulletin, which gives information about vacancies and events across the city.

You can use Live Well York to discover hundreds of local groups and activities and find out what events are happening across York, many of which are low cost.

Your first step to cooking healthier meals

Can you eat healthily and save money? You bet your bottom dollar you can! Here are 20 tips to help you have your (low-fat) cake and eat it.

Get the family involved and make tasty meals from scratch with Cook Together. Join Change4Life to receive support to:

eat well, move more and live longer
get ideas, recipes and games for you to become happier and healthier

Every week for 4 weeks you will get 2 healthy recipes – with videos, easy-to-follow instructions and a shopping list of everything you'll need – straight to your inbox.

Looking for low-cost or FREE meals and/or groceries over the Winter time?

Look no further than the welcoming food clubs in your area.

Use this website for details of regular cafes, drop-ins, food banks and other food projects.

Choose food to search for activities or services & products.

And see our growing list of entries under 'Community Food Help'.

Get help to buy food and milk - Healthy Start
If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you’re eligible, you’ll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. This card will be automatically topped up every 4 weeks with your payment.

To find out if you are eligible and to apply visit www.healthystart.nhs.uk

Free School Meals
You may be entitled to apply for free school meals for your children if you receive income-related benefits. Check if you are eligible

Holiday Activities and Food (HAF) programme
The sessions are currently running during school holidays. They include a variety of fun activities, including sports, music, arts and other exciting opportunities to learn and develop skills, alongside a nutritious meal each day. More information

Saving smaller, regular amounts is often more effective than saving larger amounts now and again. This is because you get into the savings habit, and you’re not overcommitting too much money. It also lets you budget your spending from week to week or month to month more effectively.

If this isn’t possible, save what you can as regularly as you can. Every bit makes a big difference.

Setting a savings goal is a great way to watch your savings grow.

Find out where to start and what a suitable savings goal is for you.

The Help to Save scheme was launched to help low-income earners. It pays a 50% bonus on the amount saved, up to a maximum of £1,200 over four years – here's how the account works.

Credit unions are financial co-operatives that offer a safe and secure place for people to save and borrow. Credit unions encourage members to save regularly, provide loans at low rates, and help members in need of financial advice and assistance.

Over 310,000 households in the UK use illegal money lenders every year. People may borrow because they have a poor credit history; are newly arrived in the UK; believe they can’t get a loan from a mainstream legal credit provider or more commonly just believe they are borrowing from a friend or colleague.

Find out how to spot a Loan Shark

If you have borrowed from a loan shark or are worried about someone else, contact the Illegal Money Lending Team. Stop Loans Sharks are here to help and keep you safe.

Illegal Money Lending Team also use proceeds of crime money as an incentive to encourage people to save, and to raise awareness of the dangers of borrowing from illegal money lenders.

Open a Community First Credit Union savings account today
York residents may be able to receive a £25 savings bonus through the proceeds of crime scheme

Top tips for borrowing

Here are some handy tips to help you when you borrow money, take out a loan or use credit cards:

spend time shopping around,
work out your budget
never borrow money on the spur of the moment.
be careful about borrowing more money to pay off existing debts.
avoid going overdrawn on your bank account without agreement.
don't borrow from Loan Sharks. If you're finding it difficult to get credit, see if there's a Credit Union in your area instead or see if you can borrow from the Social Fund.

Check out Citizens Advice guide for more

Learning how mental health and money are connected might help if you're struggling. Sorting things out might feel like an overwhelming task. And lots of things may be out of your control. But try taking things one step at a time. The tips on this page are to help you get started.

Gambling can be more than just losing money.

For many people gambling is a fun form of entertainment, but it can easily become a problem. Are you:

Spending more than you want on gambling?
Struggling to find the money for bills?
Taking out loans to cover gambling debts?

If you are not sure how much gambling has become a problem for you, find out how much of an impact gambling is having in your life.

If you need any help to get started and feel more confident about managing your money, get good information and advice

Local Money & Benefits Advice

National advice and support available online or by phone

Where to get free debt advice

Where to get free benefits advice, housing advice & other sources of advice

If you need to talk to someone about money but aren’t sure how it will go, the How to talk about money guide will help you get started.

It includes tips on how to get a good outcome, share money goals and what to do if you think the conversation may be tricky or it doesn’t go as planned.

Join the conversation

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