Wheatley Group – My Great Start

Wheatley Group – My Great Start

Money Matters has 2 full time 'My Great Start Advisors' to provide a financial capability support service to Wheatley Homes East, GHA Cube Housing and Loretto Housing Association tenants. The Advisors support new tenants with:

Budgeting and Money

• Providing clients with Personal Budgeting Support which includes understanding the concepts of budgets and creating a budget

• Understand how to control money allocated & understand how to prioritise expenditure

• Demonstrate Financial Responsibility and commitment to rent as a priority payment

• Identify costs of running your home

Bills

• Support clients to develop a positive payment culture which includes sign up to effective payment mechanisms like Direct Debit, WG banking product etc

• Understand the different methods of bill payment

• Demonstrating an awareness of the advantages and disadvantages of different types of bill payments

Benefits

• Have an awareness of the benefits available and move to Universal Credit (UC)

• Support take up of benefits if in high need

• Understanding of UC system and process for Alternative Payment Arrangements (APA's)

• Advice on what you can do if affected by Welfare Reform especially UC

• Know what services can support tenants (signpost to internal services and third-party specialist services as appropriate)

Debt

• Understanding rent as a priority debt and concept of debt and understand how to prioritise debts

• Help handle debt problems

• Explain why you should prioritise a particular debt

• Demonstrating an understanding of the consequences of non-payment

• Practice the process involved in dealing with creditors

• Demonstrating a knowledge of language of debt

Energy Awareness

• Help register tenant with energy supplier, explain tariffs, meters and budgeting for fuel

• Cost of running household appliances and payment methods for fuel

• Services available from fuel suppliers and consumer bodies

• Grants and financial help available for energy efficiency improvement

Employability: moving from welfare to work

• Receive calculations of in-work entitlements

• Assist with Financial Preparation

• Provide positive solutions to potential financial barriers

• Understanding employability needs

• Signpost where necessary to employability services (internal and external)

• Understanding your Tax and NI deductions and items on a payslip

Banking

• Understanding banks and their functions

• Support take up of My Housing https://www.myhousing.org.uk/

• Wheatley https://www. myhousing. org. uk/budget-planner

• Match needs to services and identify banks appropriate for specific needs

• Understanding a bank correspondence ie: statement etc

Insurance

• Understanding insurance (home, life etc - share benefits of our own home insurance scheme). Raise awareness of home insurance scheme.

• What to do if you have been mis-sold payment protection insurance

Credit

• Understanding concept of Credit and its uses

• Demonstrating current awareness of the different types of credit available (high/low cost). Raise awareness of sub-prime pay day lending practices.

• Practicing working out the interest payable on particular loans

• Understanding how the interest is worked out on loans

• Practicing credit scoring a particular loan application

• Demonstrating understanding of interest rates

Saving

• Identifying why people save and create their own list of savings aims

• Differentiate between short, medium and long term aims

• Demonstrating current awareness of savings facilities

• Understanding the savings options available

• Understanding savings accounts and credit union support

If you wish a telephone appointment with one of our advisers and you are a tenant of GHA Cube Housing, Loretto Housing or Wheatley Homes East, please contact your Housing Officer who can make a referral to us.