Money, debt and benefit advice

If you need help with benefits, money or debt, a range of support is available in the borough of Rochdale.

Get face-to-face support from our Customer Services Team

We can support you in accessing services such as help with money, benefits, food banks, welfare advice, debt issues, housing and homelessness.

You don't need to book, you can just turn up to get face-to-face support from our Customer Services Team at:

• Heywood Library and Customer Service Centre: Thursdays, 9am-5pm
• Middleton Library and Customer Service Centre: Tuesdays, 9am-5pm
• Rochdale Central Library and Customer Service Centre: Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm

Before you visit, we advise checking for any temporary closures. View any temporary closures

Get support from Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice is a charity that offers free impartial and confidential advice about debt and money, work, consumer rights, legal rights, energy and immigration.

• Find face-to-face drop-ins and appointments available across the borough
• More support from Citizens Advice

Help with money and benefits for people who don't speak fluent English

You can translate the text on our website into more than 100 languages using our Recite Me toolbar. More about our Recite Me toolbar.

You can get in touch with the following organisations who offer face-to-face, bilingual advice in the borough of Rochdale:

• Kashmir Youth Project: 9.30am-1.30pm, Monday-Friday. No appointment needed.
• Deeplish Community Centre: Monday-Thursday. By appointment only.
• Spotland Community Centre: Monday-Thursday. By appointment only.
• Wardleworth Community Centre:
  • Monday-Tuesday. No appointment needed.
  • Wednesday-Thursday. By appointment only.

Help with money and benefits for Rochdale Borough Housing (RBH) tenants

If you're an RBH tenant and need help with money or are struggling to pay your bills, the RBH Money Matters team can help you.

• RBH Money Matters help and support

More help with money and benefits

You can get more advice and help with money from the following organisations.

• LivingWell Community Champions - get help with things like finding work, getting the benefits you're entitled to, budgeting and making the most out of your money
• Cost of Living Toolkit - this toolkit will help you work out your priorities, what your options are, and who to speak to first.
• Financial Community Champions - advice on managing your money.
• Money Helper - get help with managing your money.
• Turn2Us - get access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help.

Check what benefits you can get

You can use an independent, free and anonymous benefits calculator to check what you could be entitled to.

• Benefits calculators on GOV.UK

There are services we can provide to help you financially.

• Find more help including claiming Housing Benefits or Council Tax support, free school meals and grants.

Help with debt, borrowing money and loan sharks

If you're struggling with debt the following organisations offer free debt advice:

• National Debtline - free and confidential debt advice.
• PayPlan - free support with debt management plans and Individual Voluntary Arrangements.
• Step Change Debt Charity - free debt advice.
• Debt Advice Foundation - free confidential advice on any aspect of debt.
• Business Debtline - get help with debt problems for the self-employed and small business owners.

Borrowing money and illegal money lending

If you're struggling with debts or regular outgoings you may be tempted to approach a loan shark. There are safe and legal avenues to explore to deal with money problems.

You can safely borrow money from a credit union. A credit union is a self-help cooperative whose members pool their savings to provide each other with credit at a low interest rate.

• More on borrowing money and illegal money lending

Emergency financial help

There are several ways to access financial support in an emergency.

• Discretionary Crisis Fund - if the unexpected happens and you suddenly find yourself in difficulties, you may get help through the Discretionary Crisis Fund.
• Discretionary Housing Payments - an emergency payment to help you with your rent or housing costs.
• Household Support Fund - you might be able to access superstore vouchers, fuel vouchers and other help through our Household Support Fund.
• Fair For You - if you're from a lower-income family, you can get affordable credit to purchase goods for the home. You buy directly from the manufacturer and take out a loan from Fair For You, then pay later in weekly, fortnightly or monthly instalments.

Ways to save money

Here are some schemes and information which may help you save money.

• Things to see and do on a budget - low-cost and no-cost things to do.
• Your Card - a card scheme to help save money on a wide range of sports and leisure activities at Your Trust centres.
• Reduce your fuel bills - energy-saving improvements can reduce your energy bills and heating costs and make your home more energy-efficient.
• Help with improvements and repairs to your home - find out if you're eligible for help towards the cost of your home.
• Cheaper broadband and phone packages - social tariffs are cheaper broadband and phone packages for people on low incomes. They’re delivered in the same way as normal packages, just at a lower price.