We want you to have the skills to manage your money effectively, plan for future events and be able to access a range of activities and events that you enjoy. We also want you to be confident when contacting your bank and live in such a way that you don’t fall into debt or financial hardship.
The types of financial support we offer care leavers (PDF , 623KB)
On this page:
- Westmorland and Furness individual savings accounts (ISAs)
- benefits and emergency support payments
- Care Leaver Covenant Offer
- Citizen’s Advice
- identification (ID)
- managing money
- helpful financial websites and tools
- benefits
Westmorland and Furness individual savings accounts (ISAs)
We offer all eligible care experienced young people an ISA after they have been in care for one year. This is managed through the Share Foundation.
If you’re aged between 16 and 18 and have one of these ISAs, you may be able to increase your savings. You could potentially add another £1,800 to your account if you complete the required modules of the Stepladder of Achievement scheme.
Sign up for the Stepladder of Achievement scheme.
If you’re under 18 and have been in care continuously for at least one year, we will offer you a junior ISA. This will give you a savings account with £200 to start with.
Benefits and emergency support payments
If you apply for benefits, you may have to wait for a period of time before you receive your first payment. It’s important that you don’t fall into hardship during this period, so we can do the following to support you:
- provide a support payment equivalent to income support or job seekers allowance. This is available if you’re living independently or semi-independently and can’t successfully make a benefits claim yourself
- give you an additional £30 per month clothing allowance. We judge this on a case-by-case basis. You must be in receipt of benefits to access this payment
- provide emergency payments if you’ve been waiting for over three weeks for a benefit claim to be established
- provide you with a support payment equivalent to income support or job seekers allowance if you’re in further education and become ineligible for benefits
Department for Work and Pensions: Care Leaver Covenant Offer
The Care Leaver Covenant is a commitment from public, private and voluntary sector organisations to support people leaving care. This includes government departments, such as the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP).
Citizen’s Advice
Citizen’s Advice can offer advice on managing your money. For example, benefits, help with the cost of living and debt.
You can contact them by telephone, webchat or visit one of their local offices.
How to contact Citizens Advice
Identification (ID)
You’ll need ID for lots of things. This includes:
- opening a bank account
- starting a new job
- getting a library card
- accessing services
- going abroad
We want to make sure you have a suitable form of ID, so we will support you to get your first adult passport or provisional drivers license.
If you don’t have British Citizenship, we will help you to apply for alternative forms of ID that may be available.
Managing money
We know that becoming financially independent can feel overwhelming, especially when you are managing bills, accommodation, employment, education and benefits for the first time. We will support you to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to manage your money effectively.
Through your Pathway Plan and regular support from your Personal Adviser, we can help you with:
- creating and managing a budget
- opening and using a bank account safely
- understanding wages, payslips, tax, National Insurance and pensions
- understanding benefits and making sure you receive the financial support you are entitled to
- building awareness of credit scores, borrowing, loans and financial scams
- preventing and managing debt
- saving money and planning for future goals
- understanding compensation, inheritance, trust funds or other significant payments and how these may affect your finances and benefits
- accessing specialist advice where needed
Our Financial Support Guide sets out the financial help available to care leavers, including support with:
- setting up home
- education and training
- employment
- council tax
- emergencies and other entitlements
Speak to your Personal Adviser or contact the Keep in Touch Service for a copy and advice about what support you may be eligible for.
Helpful financial websites and tools
MoneyHelper
MoneyHelper is a free, government-backed website offering impartial advice on money and pensions. Young people can use it to learn how to budget, manage bank accounts, understand payslips and taxes, improve their credit score, deal with debt, save for future goals and check what benefits they may be entitled to. The site also includes useful tools such as a budget planner, benefits calculator and savings calculators.
Turn2us
Turn2us helps people find financial support they may be missing out on. It offers a free benefits calculator, information about welfare benefits and a grants search tool that can identify charitable grants and other financial assistance a young person may be eligible for.
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides free, independent advice on money, benefits, debt, banking, borrowing and financial rights. It can help young people understand their options if they are struggling financially, have debts, need support with benefit claims or need guidance about significant financial matters such as inheritance or compensation payments.
Benefits
We work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to help care experienced young people understand benefits, employment and financial responsibilities. Through our joint working arrangements, you can access support with Universal Credit claims, benefit entitlement checks and regular DWP drop-in sessions. Personal Advisers can also attend appointments with you and help you understand information provided by DWP.
Where additional support is needed, we will help you access money management tools, debt advice services and specialist financial guidance to help you make informed decisions and maintain your financial wellbeing.
Understanding benefits
We recognise that understanding benefits can be confusing, particularly when moving towards independence. Through our partnership with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP), your Personal Adviser will help you maximise your income, understand your entitlements, access benefits, attend appointments and manage your online Universal Credit account. We will work alongside you to ensure you receive the support you are entitled to and can access specialist advice when needed.
Universal Credit
We work closely with the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to ensure care experienced young people receive the support they are entitled to. We can help you prepare and submit your Universal Credit claim, access your online journal, attend appointments and communicate with your Work Coach. You may be able to make an advance claim up to 28 days before your 18th birthday and your Personal Adviser can support you throughout the process.
We provide up to 5 weeks of transitional financial support whilst you are waiting for your first Universal Credit payment, helping to prevent financial hardship and reducing the need for an advance payment.
Council tax support
If you live in Westmorland and Furness, you will not have to pay council tax. If you live outside Westmorland and Furness, we can help you understand what council tax discounts, exemptions or support may be available and support you to apply. Your Personal Adviser can help you access advice and make sure you are receiving any council tax support you are entitled to.
Disability benefits
If you have a disability, long-term health condition or additional needs, we can help you understand what benefits you may be entitled to, including Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and other disability-related support. We can assist with applications, gathering evidence and attending appointments where appropriate.
Housing financial assistance
We can help you access financial support to maintain your accommodation, including advice about rent, housing costs and benefits that may help with housing expenses. If you are struggling financially, your Personal Adviser will work with you to explore available support and prevent tenancy breakdown.
If you need help with housing costs, we can support you to claim the housing element of Universal Credit or Housing Benefit where applicable. All care leavers aged 18 to 25 are exempt from the Shared Accommodation Rate and may be entitled to the one-bedroom Local Housing Allowance rate.
We can also help arrange Alternative Payment Arrangements so that the housing element of your Universal Credit is paid directly to your landlord where this is the best option for you.
Local welfare and financial support
If you are experiencing financial hardship, your PA will help you identify and access local sources of support. This may include emergency assistance, food support, household essentials, discretionary payments and other welfare schemes available to you. We can also support you to access your online benefits portal, submit claims and communicate with relevant agencies.