By Christian Lee
Money can be tight in the current climate and it is often hard to know where to go for help.
Here is a list of services and organisations that can provide help and support for people living in West Leeds with financial problems.
One of the biggest sources of support in the city is Money Buddies. They offer free, impartial advice on a range of issues including: debt, benefits, communicating with creditors and “free stuff” available in Leeds.
Money buddies can be contacted over the phone on 0113 2350276, via email at admin@egac.org or through a web chat on their website which can be found here. They also hold drop-in sessions throughout Leeds.
Sessions held in West Leeds are listed below:
- Farnley Community Centre: Every other Monday 9am-12pm (next session 28 November 2022)
- Armley Community Hub: Tuesday 1pm-4pm
- Bramley Community Hub: Wednesday 1pm-4pm
- Farsley Hub and Library: Every other Wednesday 1pm-4pm. (Next one is 30 November.)
- Hawksworth Wood Community Hub: Friday 9am-12pm
- Pudsey Community Hub: Friday 1pm-4pm
Citizens Advice Leeds is a one-stop advice shop for the people of Leeds. This includes advice on debt and money, universal credit, energy bills all the way through to consumer rights.
Citizens Advice Leeds can be contacted by phone on 0800 2787878 or via web chat on their website found here. They also have a specialist helpline for help with energy bills which is 0800 4480721.
The service also offers face to face help between 9am and 1pm at their office in Oxford House, LS1 3BE. Appointments are required after 1pm.
Leeds Credit Union is a banking service that aims to help people with savings, budgeting and providing affordable loans up to £20,000. They can be found online and also have a branch within the Armley One Stop centre, as well as in the city centre and Merrion Centre.
The union has a range of savings accounts available including a Christmas Club, which allows people to withdraw money between 1st November and 24th December and has a minimum balance of just £1.
They also offer a debt consolidation loan which allows you to pay off other creditors and move your debt to one place which can help with budgeting.
Step Change is the largest debt charity in the UK and can provide advice and support for people in debt. They are able to provide help with debt solutions, as well as budgeting and consolidating debt.
You can call their contact centre on 0800 1381111, Monday to Friday 8am-8pm and Saturday 8am-4pm, or use their online debt advice service, found here.
The St Vincent’s Centre, located just off York Road, has a dedicated debt advice team. They offer free, confidential debt advice and each case is assigned to a specific debt advisor.
The debt advice team can be contacted on 0113 2484126 or you can email advice.leeds@svp.org.uk. They also offer in person advice at the St Vincent’s Centre when necessary. For more information please visit here.
Yorkshire Water has a dedicated phone line for people who are struggling to pay their bill. Simply call 0345 1299299 and they will be able to provide advice on how they can help. Other utility companies often have similar policies and can provide help with managing bills.
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