Six Bells Children's Centre

Money Matters

If you are looking for information, advice or support regarding money matters you may find the following links useful:

Some of these are local organisations, others provide a national service.

Consumer Credit Counselling
Consumer Credit is a charity offering a free, confidential advice service for people in debt through its national helpline - 0800 138 1111

It helps by providing counselling on personal budgeting, advice on the wise use of credit and managing achievable plans to re-pay debts.

Credit Action
Credit Action is a national money education charity, formed to help people better manage their money. It offers a range of resources including debt advice guides and budget sheets, which can be downloaded from its website

They work in partnership with the Consumer Credit Counselling Service.

Sure Start Maternity Grant
Coping with the extra costs of a new baby can be difficult. There’s a grant to help you give your baby a positive start in life. It’s called the Sure Start Maternity Grant

The grant is made from the Social Fund and you do not have to pay it back.

Who can get the grant?

You can get a Sure Start Maternity Grant if you or your partner are getting:

• Income Support
• Income based Jobseeker's Allowance
• Pension Credit
• Child Tax Credit which includes an amount higher than the family element 
• Working Tax Credit where a disability or severe disability element is included in the award
• This grant is subject to terms and conditions and is not exclusively available to everyone who meets the criteria.

How do I claim? 
You can claim a Sure Start Maternity Grant on form SF100.  You can get the form from our News & Downloads page. The form comes with notes that will help you fill it in and tell you where to send it

If you have a partner, either of you can fill in the claim form, but make sure you include the name of the baby’s mother.

You can claim a Sure Start Maternity Grant at any time from the 29th week of your pregnancy until your child is three months old

If you are adopting a baby, you must claim the grant within three months of the adoption and the baby should be no more than 12 months old when you claim.

If you or you or your partner have been granted a parental order for a surrogate birth, you must claim within three months of the date of the parental order. For more information visit  Department for Work & Pensions-Maternity Grant website.

Tax Credit payments for families with children
9 out of 10 families with children are entitled to tax credits. You can be given Child Tax Credit in the form of payments from the government regardless of whether you are working or not

Child Tax Credit is paid direct to the person who is mainly responsible for caring for the child or children. If you are a lone parent you will receive the payment

Working Tax Credit is for people who are employed or self-employed (either on their own or in a partnership), who usually work 16 hours or more a week, who are paid for that work, and who expect to work for at least 4 weeks

For more information visit the Tax Credits website or call the Helpline on 0845 300 3900 (textphone 0845 300 3909).