Free Debt & Benefits Advice
We're a charity, so we never charge

Closed until Mon 11th July
Due to annual leave, we are unable to accept new enquiries until Mon 11th July.Apologies for any inconvenience.

Energy problems?
Martin Lewis's 'Heat the Human not the Home' here
Citizen's Advice factsheet, 'What to do if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills', including how to negotiate with energy suppliers here
Citizen's Advice factsheet 'Grants and benefits to help you pay your energy bills' here

Waiting list
We currently have a 6-8 week waiting list.
​If you need help more urgently than this, please try:
Trinity Money Advice Leicester 07512 677072 or
The Zinthiya Trust 0116 254 5168.
Both are in central Leicester.

Non-judgemental
Confidential
​We have time for you

William's Story

A journey back to confidence and hope

William was first put in contact with Money Matters through the Social Welfare Office at his GP.

William’s life has not been easy or straightforward, with ongoing mental and physical conditions that made it difficult to cope. He was isolated and anti-social neighbours were a problem, and he had no family around him to give backup or support.

He reckons he had “lost the will to live”. “Things just land on you”, he said, “health, social situation, money – and they overwhelm”.
William has been unemployed for ten years. He struggled to fit into the JobSeekers criteria and ended up being sanctioned for one, then two weeks, and then threatened with three months with no money coming in.
His disability benefit was removed after a formal assessment, and the lack of disability benefit massively impacted his finances and ability to cope. He was now living on just £73pwk + housing allowance, which wasn’t enough even to cover the absolute basics.

Money Matters supported him through a new PIP claim and then an Appeal and even a Tribunal. After the written result of the Tribunal was sent to him, William dropped into Money Matters' office. It was the first time volunteers had seen him smiling. His income had suddenly doubled, and he’d received a back-dated payment from the time when the benefit was stopped.

For William this has been enormously important, partly because it gives him a regular and sustainable income that recognises his disability, partly because the lump-sum enabled him to sort things personally and financially, and perhaps most of all because of the boost it gave to his self-confidence.
He discovered that, despite all his various health and social issues, he could be successful in the challenging environment of a formal Tribunal, speaking for himself to a judge, and with Money Matters in support. For William the accompanying and confidence-boosting that Money Matters could give was crucial through a strange and daunting situation.

Roz, our benefits specialist, commented:
“The change in William, and how his situation has strengthened and improved, has been dramatic. From being overwhelmed by his situation, he has become more positive, better able to cope and open to new possibilities.”

Money Matters is open to anyone. Its motivation and guiding direction is in its church roots, with a recognition of God’s care and concern for all people, a desire to give help and support to those who are going through difficult times, and a desire to bring hope. We don’t go on about our faith, but we but hope in some way to make real the life-saving promises of Jesus so that people can be free of the fear of debt or overwhelmed by poverty, and can rebuild their lives.

We asked William what he would say to someone who is facing problems with money or the benefits system:
“Do it now. As fast as you can, get some help. With a bit of outside help your situation can be resolved, and your self-esteem will massively improve. Too easily you lose hope, for whatever reason, and then that’s it – you’re sinking or you’re sunk. Money Matters are real life-savers”.

"I can't believe the service you give"   

"You are our angels!"
​
"I was in a fog, but now I can see light"

- QUOTES FROM PREVIOUS CLIENTS

Please call or WhatsApp 07926 086238 to get in touch.
​We offer appointments by WhatsApp video call, by phone or face to face,
 Mon, Tues and Thurs 9.30am - 4.30pm plus a few evening appointments.

We are asking  everyone who would like to go on the waiting list to take some easy steps to help us.
This will make a huge difference to how quickly we can help you.
Remember that every responsible debt advice centre has to go through the same process
The length of your case depends mostly on how much paperwork and information you can bring to us. 
Don't worry if this seems a bit daunting; every little helps and if you get stuck just call or message us for help.

You can make a huge difference to your experience of debt advice if you can bring or WhatsApp to us:

- Get the WeQ4U app,  which will save you a packet when making mobile phone calls and takes the tedium out of phone queues.

- Gather up your debt letters, benefit letters, utility bills, payslips and bank statements

- Keep all your post - even if you can't face opening it - bring it to us!

-  If you are on Universal Credit, phone Universal Credit Debt Management 0800 328 5644 to find out what your deductions are for.
    For each debt ask: what is it for, how much is the balance, and how much is the deduction?

If this seems like a lot to do, don't worry - we can help you if you get stuck - just do what you can as it mean we can spend more time understanding your situation rather than chasing debt information, which can takes weeks to arrive to us.
​You can quickly get the same information over the phone.
​

Money Matters Leicester is affiliated to Community Money Advice (CMA), a national charity that enables 
community groups and churches to establish local, free to client, face to face debt advice services. 
CMA are committed to supporting churches and other community groups with a vision to help people overcome
​their money problems and make a fresh start on a stable financial footing free from the blight of indebtedness.
We also have a sister centre in Coalville - Hope67 Money Advice 

Why do we volunteer to be debt advisers? Check out this video of Anne, who volunteers at the  The Bridge Debt Advisory Service, which, like Money Matters Leicester, is a CMA centre