In light of the rising cost of living, financial wellbeing is now more important than ever. Prices are rising, taxes are increasing and worries about costs are ever growing.

Money and Pension Service Financial wellbeing Webinar

In August 2022, CMRH hosted a financial wellbeing webinar with James Kelly from the Money & Pension Service. The Money and Pensions Service is an arm length government department here to help people understand their money and to help make it go further. Lots of information was given to attendees -including a walk through the money helper website. There was also lots of information about managing your money and planning tools also - these can be found here.

You can watch the recording below.

Mersey Care's Financial Wellbeing Poster

We have developed an infographic to outline support that is available to you now.

SpringSummer2022 Financial Wellbeing.jpg — Image of financial wellbeing infographic Spring/Summer2022

The infographic has clickable links to the information and it also has a QR code, which works in a similar way as a barcode. It can instantly be read using a Smartphone camera and will take you to our staff wellbeing hub. You can download or print the infographic here

Information on other Mersey Care staff benefits and discounts can be found here

NHS England have also produced a guide to looking after your finances. A printable version of the 'Supporting our NHS People Helping you look after your financial wellbeing' guide, can be downloaded here. Below includes the information found in the guide, along with some specific information for Mersey Care employees and other helpful resources.

NHS staff support line telephone support line

NHS colleagues can call this support line, provided by the Money Helper service, for free and impartial money guidance from Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm. Call: 0800 448 0826

Add +44 7701 342 744 to your WhatsApp and send the Money Helper service’s national support team a message for help with sorting out your debts, credit questions and pensions guidance.

Webchat

Chat to one of the Money Helper service team via their online portal.

Find out more online.

You can also speak with our Occupational health and wellbeing team and look at what type of things are in place within Mersey Care. This could be:

Hardship Funds
Financial Advice e.g. Debt Management
Early access to Earned Pay
Fuel Cards
Weekly Expenses
Review of any local agreements in relation to expenses
Discounted food schemes
Staff discounts
Salary Sacrifice Schemes
Increase in agile working to support fuel price rises
Organisations offering help and support:

Citizen's Advice – Citizens Advice is an independent organisation that can offer free debt advice and help. Mersey Care has a referral pathway already in place which you can access now - Citizens Advice Appointments

Trussell Trust - No one should go hungry and the Trussell trust is here to help. This website give you information on about to obtain a food voucher and to find your nearest foodbank should you ever need it. Each food bank works with different frontline professionals, like doctors, health visitors, social workers, and Citizens Advice. These professionals will be able to refer you to a food bank and give you a food bank voucher if they think you need emergency food.

Benefit Checker: You could be entitled to a range of different benefits. You can check here: Benefits | MoneyHelper. There’s also Salad Money’s benefits calculator, which will ask some questions about your circumstances, your household and your finances. It will then search across all the benefits and grants you can claim, calculate how much you can get and what you have to do to receive the benefits you are entitled to. You can access the calculator here- Financial Benefits Calculator

Cavell Nurses Trust: Cavell Nurses Trust is a charity that supports UK nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, both working and retired, when they’re suffering personal or financial hardship often due to illness, disability, older age and domestic abuse. One way Cavell Nurses trust provides this support through one-off grants to relieve financial hardship and rapid emergency funding for those at great risk.

UNISON - UNISON provides a one-off grant of £250 to help with essential expenses such as food and bills, general living costs, household appliances, urgent repairs, disability equipment and adaptations, utility bills and funeral costs. To be eligible to apply for financial assistance, you must have been a member of UNISON for at least four weeks and up to date with your subscriptions.

For more details: Unison Financial Assistance Guide

Care Workers Charity The Care Workers’ Charity: This charity has two grants; Crisis grants – live and in use throughout the year exclusive to health care workers. COVID-19 Emergency Fund grant which covers the following grants related to self- isolation, funeral costs or other unexpected costs. This extends to additional roles such as Cooks/Kitchen Assistants, Housekeepers or Domestic Workers, Maintenance staff, Drivers and Admin staff (Team Leaders/Supervisors and Personal Assistants)

TASC: The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC): TASC is the leading UK charity providing support to all present and past ambulance staff and their families in time of need, both in the NHS and independent sector. Our services are independent and confidential and include psychological rehabilitation and counselling, including stress and PTSD support; physical rehabilitation; financial grants; debt advice; welfare and other support; and bereavement support.

Turn2us: Turn2us helps people in financial need gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face to face through partner organisations. Their web site includes a benefits calculator, a grants search database, information and interactive tools providing a wide range of subjects on welfare benefits, charitable grants and managing money.

The Healthcare Workers Foundation: Healthcare Workers’ Foundation provide grants of up to £1,000. All NHS workers are eligible, just need to submit your NHS ID.

CSIS Charity Fund: CSIS Charity Fund assists serving, retired and former civil and public servants, as well as widows and widowers of deceased CSIS policyholders.