Financial wellbeing support

• Budget Planner Tool: this free Budget Planner puts you in control of your household spending and analyses your results to help you take control of your money. It’s already helped hundreds of thousands of people.

• Quick Cash Finder Tool: use this quick cash finder tool to discover how you could quickly find and save money by simply cutting back on some of your regular spending.

• Debt Advice Locator Tool: if you’re struggling with debt, it can be hard to know where to turn. But with lots of free national and local advice services available across the UK, you can use this tool to find help in a way that’s best for you.

• Debt and borrowing: for taking control of debt, getting free debt advice, and how to borrow affordably.​​​​

• Benefits: find out what benefits you’re entitled to and learn about Universal Credit.

• Budgeting and managing your money: advice on running a bank account, planning your finances, and cutting costs.​​​​​​​

• Work and redundancy: advice on understanding your employment rights, what in-work benefits you might be entitled to and how to handle redundancy.​​​​​​​

• My Money: find loads of bright ideas, money saving tips and step by step recipes for saving money – let My Money help you keep more of your hard-earned cash.​​​​​​​

• Help with scams: advice for spotting, avoiding and recovering from scams.

NHS telephone support line

NHS staff can call this support line, provided by the MoneyHelper Service, for free and impartial money guidance.

• Free telephone: 0800 448 0826 (Monday to Friday 8am-6pm)
• Whatsapp: Add 07701 342744 to your WhatsApp and send the Money Advice Service’s national support team a message for help with sorting out your debts, credit questions and pensions guidance.
• Webchat: Chat to Money Helper Service team via their online portal

UNISON

UNISON provides a one-off grant 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.

*Check with your organisation if they have Unison representative you can get in touch with*

For more details: www.unison.org

The Care Worker's Charity

This charity has two grants:

• Crisis grants – For care workers who have experienced a recent change in circumstance resulting in a significant financial impact.
• Covid-19 Emergency Fund grant - Emergency funding for care workers who have suffered a drop in income due to Covid-19, or who need financial support because of a Covid-related circumstance. 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)

For more details: www.thecareworkerscharity.org.uk

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. 

For more details: www.turn2us.org.uk

Royal College of Nursing - Lamplight Support Service

The RCN Lamplight Support Service is a telephone advice and information service for nursing team.
You may be eligible for a Lamplight Support Service hardship grant if you're a current or former nurse, midwife, healthcare assistant and associate. In certain circumstances, they can help a nursing student. You don't need to be a member of the Royal College of Nursing.

• RCN Members: 0345 772 6100
• Non RCN Member: 0345 772 6200

Lines are open 8.30am to 8.30pm, seven days a week

For more details: www.rcnfoundation.rcn.org.uk

Cavell Nurses Trust

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

For more details: www.cavellnursestrust.org

The Ambulance Staff Charity (TASC)

Provides support to all present and past ambulance staff and their families in time of need, both in the NHS and independent sector. 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).

For more details: www.theasc.org.uk

Social Workers Benevolent Fund (SWBT)

The small charity offers a one off, limited financial help to social workers – including retired social workers – and their dependents in times of hardship, for example when experiencing sickness, bereavement, family difficulties or sudden catastrophe.

For more details: www.swbt.org

The Charity for Civil Servants

The Charity for Civil Servants (formerly The Civil Service Benevolent Fund) supports all civil servants, past and present, throughout their lives, with whatever problems they may have.

For more details: www.foryoubyyou.org.uk

Further NHS financial wellbeing offers and resources are available here.

Money problems — they aren’t fun to have, and they aren’t fun to talk about. How can you help a colleague, friend or loved one who’s facing a cash crisis? 

Some of the signs are easy enough to spot. If your friend just lost their job it’s a good bet they’re feeling the financial pinch.

But there are other, less obvious signs to look out for too:

• If they pass on activities they once did in a heartbeat, like going to their favourite restaurant or catching a movie.
• If they change the subject whenever money comes up.
• If they seem worried or stressed, or are showing signs of depression.
• If you notice they’re using multiple credit cards to pay for stuff.

The Movember website have provided some tips: 

Creating a safe space to talk about money

How do you get your them to open up? They’re more likely to engage if they know they’re in a judgment-free zone. Ask questions with empathy and curiosity. Make it a safe space for them to share their financial difficulties.

Here are some ways you can get the ball rolling:

• If you’ve seen a change in behaviour, bring it up. For example: “I noticed you haven’t been going out as much lately. Is everything ok right now?”
• Start the conversation from a place of humility: “I don’t have all the answers, but I’m here to listen and support.”
• Most of all, take the stigma out of it: “It’s totally normal to have money problems. No judgment here.”

Know what to say (and what not to say)

• Listen, without trying to identify the cause of their money problems. Avoid asking questions that can be answered with a simple yes or no, especially if your they're is at a loss for words.

• Offer solutions, but only when asked. They may just want your presence and understanding. If they do ask for advice or help, go for it. But don’t force it on them.

• Share your own experience to empathise, not to dictate answers. Try sharing some of your own story. When a friend or loved one is struggling, it always helps if they know they’re not the only one.

You can take some of the stigma out of them for your friends by starting the conversation, being a good listener, and helping in inconspicuous but meaningful ways.

If you think your friend, colleague or loved one is struggling and might need some professional support, you can refer them to our team. Email keepingwell.nwl@nhs.net and ensure you have received consent to do this.

Money worries can have a huge impact on your mental health – financial stress can lead to sleepless nights, anxiety, and an inability to fully focus on your work.

However, as an employer, there are some steps you can take to help your staff to manage their financial wellbeing.

Why should employers be concerned about the financial wellbeing of their staff?

This negative cycle can affect us in the workplace too. Two-thirds of employees who are struggling financially report at least one sign of poor mental health that could affect their ability to function at work. These include loss of sleep, poor concentration, and reduced motivation. Poor treatment in work can make this all the more difficult, with one in five people who have experienced mental health problems saying they’ve faced discrimination in the workplace due to their mental health.

Employers have the power to improve both the financial and mental wellbeing of their workforce, as well as their productivity, by introducing new processes or resources that build financial resilience, creating a culture of support and providing essential help once problems have set in.

Mental Health at Work toolkit

In this toolkit by Mental Health at Work, they have brought together some resources you can use to create a culture of financial wellness at work.

Source: www.mentalhealthatwork.org.uk

An impact of the current Covid-19 restrictions may mean that many households, of which NHS colleagues form a part, are financially compromised. This can contribute to increased levels of stress and anxiety for these colleagues, at a time when stress and anxiety may already be heightened.

If you're finding things difficult, talk to us today, we can help refer or signpost you to appropriate services such as Citizens Advice Bureau for further support.

Search for your local Citizens Advice Bureau here.

We have listed a variety of offers that you are able to engage with personally or signpost colleagues to who may need this support. 

Visit our wellbeing offers and discounts page here.