Money Advice

The Housing Department is working in partnership with the Local Citizens Advice to provide advice on maximising income and managing debt. 

If you are having financial problems and you are having difficulty in paying your rent, please contact your Income Management Officer and they will be able to make a fast track appointment for you at a Citizens Advice surgery which is held at the Council offices.

From April 2016 to March 2017 the Local Citizens Advice  have seen 100 tenants referred by the Income Management Team and helped by:

•              Increase their income by £79,167.55.

•              Reduce debts by £45,834.28

•              Recovered employment income of £1,400.00

•              Helped with budgeting £4,680.00

•              Recovered tax of £400.00

•              Helped with utilities by   £568.00

To book an appointment please contact the Income Management Team by:

Email: moneymanagementteam@cannockchasedc.gov.uk

or

Phone: 01543 462621

We know that sometimes finding the money to pay your water bill can be difficult so it is very important if you are struggling that you contact South Staffs Water (www.south-staffs-water.co.uk) immediately on 0800 09 30 610. If you are struggling to meet your payments they have a range of options available to help support you

The Assure tariff can help tenants who are on low incomes and struggling to afford their water charges.  Customers with a household income of less than £16,105 (excluding income from Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment and Attendance Allowance), may qualify for a discount of up to 80% on their water charge. This tariff applies to both metered and unmetered properties.

If you do not qualify for Assure, South Staffs Water will see if you qualify for Watersure. 

Watersure is a tariff which helps some people with their bills, you have to be on a certain benefit and need to use a lot of water either for medical reasons or because your household has a certain number of school age children.  You do have to be on a water meter to qualify for Watersure.  Customers on Watersure pay for the water they use up to a fixed maximum which won't be higher than the average household water bill.

Charitable Trust- you can apply to the South Staffordshire Water Charitable Trust if meeting the cost of your water bill is causing you hardship. The Trust is a registered charity that operates independently of South Staffs Water and aims to assist those customers who are in need or who are suffering hardship or other distress.    The Trust tales applications from people experiencing hardship or difficulties who are in arrears with their water and sewerage bills.  For more information on Charitable Trust please ring 0800 09 30 610 or visit http://www.sswct.org/

Water Direct- In some circumstances South Staffs Water can arrange for water bills to be paid out of benefits paid by the Department for Work and Pensions.  This scheme is known as Water Direct. The scheme is designed to help tenants who have arrears on their water charges and are in receipt of qualifying benefits.

Find out more by visiting https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/household/extra-help/help-with-paying here you can click on the links to the tariffs and download the form or call 0800 09 30 610 for a form to be sent out.

Click on the link below to take you directly to the application form:

https://www.south-staffs-water.co.uk/media/1933/assure-tariff-form_web.pdf