Information & Advice
Helping You Find the Right Support
Sometimes life can throw you unexpected challenges. From financial difficulties, mental health struggles, and legal worries; it can often be hard to know where to go for support.
RBF provides free debt and legal advice through our specialist and qualified partners, as well as some information and useful links to organisations who can support you.
Useful Links
Please see our list of useful links to organisations that can offer support in the following areas.
Bereavement
Age UK
Bereavement
Offer advice on how to cope with bereavement. Call 0800 678 1602.
Bereavement Advice Centre
Bereavement
Offer practical advice and help when someone dies such as registering a death, money and tax issues, death certificates, legal procedures, the funeral and planning ahead. Call their helpline on 0800 634 9494.
Child Bereavement UK
Bereavement
Offers help to families to rebuild their lives when a child grieves or when a child dies.
Cruse
Bereavement
Offer one-to-one support regarding bereavement. Cruse have a helpline and online chat support with their expert grief councillors. Call their helpline on 0808 808 1677.
Down to Earth
Bereavement
Offer information and practical guidance regarding funerals and costs. Call 020 8953 5055.
Railway Mission
Bereavement, Mental Health & Wellbeing
Railway Mission is a Christian faith-based charity which offers free, independent and impartial pastoral care and advice to the railway community on issues such as depression, bereavement or illness. You don’t need to Christian to access their support. Call 0203 887 7000 or Email office@railwaymission.org to contact your local chaplain.
Budgeting
Citizens Advice
Budgeting
Offer free, confidential, and specialist advice regarding budget and debts.
Money Saving Expert
Budgeting
Money saving and budgeting tips and guidance website with a lot of financial tools.
MoneyHelper
Budgeting
Offer guidance regarding money and pensions. Offer free tools and calculators for budgeting which can also be found on our ‘useful links’ page.
StepChange
Budgeting
Offer expert budgeting and debt advice. Call their helpline on 0800 138 1111 or visit their website for budgeting.
Debt
Christians Against Poverty
Debt
Provide free specialist support regarding debt and finances, and also provide free finances courses. Call 0800 328 0006.
Citizens Advice Manchester
Debt
RBF have partnered with Citizens Advice Manchester to provide free, confidential and specialist advice regarding debt, benefits and budgeting. Your local Citizens Advice can offer face-to-face appointments. Please visit our financial advice page to learn more.
National Debt Line
Debt
Offer free and independent debt advice over the phone and online. Call 0808 808 4000.
PayPlan
Debt
Offer free, specialist advice regarding debts to understand your options. They offer online advice services and a helpline. Call 0800 280 2816
StepChange
Debt
Provide free and expert debt advice and can recommend debt solutions to suit your situation such as payment plans. Call 0800 138 1111.
Disability
Action on Disabiltiy (London)
Disability
Support those living with disabilities to live independently focusing on areas regarding employment, youth and benefit entitlement Call 020 7385 2098.
Age UK
Disability
Age UK can offer information regarding Disabled Facilities Grants. Some local Age UK offices can arrange home visits to offer help with DWP applications. Call their helpline on 0800 055 6112. They also offer an online chat service.
Citizens Advice
Disability
Information regarding disability benefits. Citizens Advice can also help with completed DWP’s applications.
Disability Rights UK
Disability
Offer advice and information regarding independent living, careers and legal rights. Call 0330 995 0400.
Lifeworks
Disability
Provide care, further education and recreational activities to help children and young people with learning difficulties. Call 01803 840744.
Scope
Disability
Provide practical information and emotional support for people with disabilities. Call their helpline on 0808 800 3333.
The UK Government
Disability
Check to see if you are receiving all the right benefits and help you are entitled to from the Government and that your PIP is the right amount.
Legal
Advocate
Legal
Provides people with free legal advice and representation in court and tribunal cases from volunteer barristers. Only available to those who cannot afford legal aid.
Citizens Advice
Legal
Help to find grants or free legal aid, and support in finding legal representation.
Law Express
Legal
The RBF also has a working partnership with Law Express. There is and app that is free to access that provides free advice resources which offers information 24 hours a day on a wide range of legal matters, from parking fines to divorce and relationship breakdown.
Law Society
Legal
Offer legal advice on a wide range of topics and can also help you to find the right solicitor and free legal aid/ways to pay for legal aid.
Law Works
Legal
Provides free initial advice to individuals on various matters and can help to find free legal aid if eligible.
The UK Government
Legal
Check if you can get legal aid for civil cases on the Government website.
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Helping people with personal recovery and continued sobriety. AA offer closed, open (for friends and family member) and online meetings to help those affected by alcohol. Call 0800 9177 650.
Anxiety UK
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Anxiety UK help those affected by anxiety, stress and anxiety-based depression. Call 03444 775 774. Text: 07357 416 905.
Bipolar UK
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Offer support and help to empower those affected by bipolar. Offers peer support groups, e-Communities, helpline and email support and provide information and resources related to bipolar. Email: info@bipolaruk.org.
Gamcare
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Offers support and guidance for anyone affected by gambling harms through 1-1 intervention and peer support. Call 0808 8020 133.
Mind
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Mind provide advice and support to anyone experiencing a mental health problem. Local Mind offer services that include therapies, crisis helplines, drop-in centres, employments and training schemes, counselling and befriending. Mind also have an Infoline where you can ask about mental health problems, where to get help near you, treatment options and advocacy services. Call 0300 123 3393.
NHS
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Contact your local urgent mental health 24 hour helpline (For England only).
Papyrus Prevention of Young Suicide
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Offer confidential support and suicide intervention, deliver awareness and prevention training and empower you people to lead suicide preventions activities in their communities. Call 0800 068 4141. Text: 07860 039967. Email: pat@papyrus-uk.org.
Railway Mission
Bereavement, Mental Health & Wellbeing
Railway Mission is a Christian faith-based charity which offers free, independent and impartial pastoral care and advice to the railway community on issues such as depression, bereavement or illness. You don’t need to Christian to access their support. Call 0203 887 7000 or Email office@railwaymission.org to contact your local chaplain.
Relate
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Offers counselling for relationship problems, as well as marriage, divorce, parenting and LGBT issues.
Samaritans
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Samaritans can help people who are in a crisis and can also help to prevent crisis’. They help to provide ways for people to cope and build up skills for you to help others. Call 116 123. Email: jo@samaritans.org. 24 hour response time.
The Mix
Mental Health & Wellbeing
UK’s leading support service for young people. The Mix can help with a range of issues such as mental health, money, homelessness, break-ups, drugs or finding a job. Call: 0808 808 4994. Text: THEMIX to 85258.
The Young Lives Foundation
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Provides expertise in advocacy, mentoring, befriending and activity programmes for young people up to the age of 25.
Young Minds
Mental Health & Wellbeing
Offer specialist mental health support and tools to young people.
Pensions
Pension Wise
Pensions
Offers free, impartial pensions advice and guidance about your pension options. Can help with those who are 50 and over and have a personal or workplace pension. You can book a free appointment by calling 0800 138 3944 or via the website.
PensionBee
Pensions
Offers help to combine pensions, contribute and withdraw online.
Railpen
Pensions
Help to support railway workers and their pension needs throughout their careers and beyond into their retirement. Call 020 7330 6800.
The UK Government
Pensions
The Government website provides a service where you can check how much State Pension you could be entitled to, when you are available to receive it and ways in which to increase it, if possible.
UK Care Guide
Pensions
Help and guidance for mid and later life planning for a range of topics such as financial, legal, finding care, shopping, and wellbeing and pensions. Call 0333 210 0236. Email hello@ukcareguide.co.uk.
Utilities
Affinity Water
Utilities
Aquacare – if you are receiving income-related benefits and have a water meter, this fund can help to reduce costs. To apply, call 0345 357 2401.
WaterDirect – if you are a low household income or receiving income-related benefits, your water charges can be capped. To apply call 0800 697982.
British Gas
Utilities
British Gas offer easy and quick tips to help save money and make your home more energy efficient.
British Gas Energy Trust Fund
Utilities
Can help individuals and families with grants to help clear gas and electricity debts.
Bulb Energy Fund
Utilities
This fund offers advice and financial support, such as a grant, to eligible members who need help with their energy costs.
Consumer Council for Water
Utilities
Provide guidance and information regarding your water and help with ways to save money, water debt and ways to use water wisely.
Eon Energy Fund
Utilities
The fund can help pay current or final energy bill arrears to customers. You can also get help as an E.On customer with getting replacement household items such as white goods and gas boilers. Call 03303 80 10 90.
Fuelbank Foundation
Utilities
For help with off-grid fuel such as oil, LPG, coal and wood.
Local Council
Utilities
Talk to your local Council to see if they offer fuel vouchers to help with the cost of energy if you are struggling. Find your local Council on the Government website.
Octopus Octo Assist Fund
Utilities
Can offer specialised advice and assistance, as well as access to funding.
Ovo Energy Fund
Utilities
A fund to that can help with payment schemes that offers financial assistance.
Scottish Power Hardship Fund
Utilities
A fund to help customers who are struggling to pay their Scottish Power debt due to low household income. Call 0808 800 128.
Scottish Water
Utilities
You can arrange a payment plan if you have a water meter. The plan is based on your average annual invoice. Call 0800 0778778.
Severn Trent Trust Fund (Severn Trent Water)
Utilities
You may be able to receive financial assistance towards your water bill if you are experiencing financial difficulties and would benefit to have your water debt cleared or help with your ongoing water bills. Call 0300 1230890.
StepChange
Utilities
Check to see if your water supplier has additional help they can offer with your water debt or worries.
Thames Water
Utilities
If you are living on a low income or have financially difficulties and are struggling to pay of your water debts, you can apply for a one-off payment. Call 0800 111 4680.
Welsh Water (Dwr Cymru)
Utilities
If you have water arrears and are unable to pay and pay your current charges for six months Welsh Water will pay off half of your arrears.
