Finances can dictate how your calendar month goes. If you budget and spend money wisely you will be in a good cycle and better position long term. Whereas if you don’t budget you can struggle tremendously, and this can be draining.
Financial Support
We will help you financially by:
- Access to a £3,000 Setting Up Home allowance to pay for essential items and
furnishings when moving into your own home. - Providing all Care Experienced Young People who are the responsibility of Sefton
Council (former relevant care leavers) and who are living in Sefton with a 100%
discount on their council tax bill from the age 18 to age 25. The Discount will be
applied after any other discounts such as Sole Occupier Discount and Council Tax
Reduction. Where there is shared liability for the Council Tax due, the discount will
cover the share that the care experienced young person is liable for. - If you are a Sefton Care Experienced Young Person living outside of Sefton, your
council tax liability (after helping to apply for any council tax support) will be paid on a
quarterly basis until your 25th birthday. Your PA will support you with this. - Providing a deposit and rent in advance if you need private rented accommodation.
- Providing information about money management support and advice.
- Information on how to access your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund.
- Support to open a bank/savings account.
- Support to obtain important identification documents, such as a birth certificate,
passport and provisional driving license., before your 18th birthday and ensure your
passport is renewed and valid up to 25. - Support to get your National Insurance number.
- Support to undertake hobbies and leisure activities when you are 16 & 17.
- An introduction to driving package; including a driving license, a practical and theory
test and 10 lessons (where young people also chip-in for an additional 5 lessons. - Support with items needed for study, apprenticeships and employment.
- Support with travel costs when you are aged 16 & 17 and help to access the
Merseyside Reginal Travel Offer. - A prescription costs exemption certificate up to 25.
- Support to meet any religious or cultural needs when you are aged 16 & 17.
- Support with bills and the cost-of-living crisis when you move into independent living.
- Exceptional financial support in emergencies.
- Providing a financial gift at birthdays and Christmas or other celebrations.
- We will pay for your first TV licence.
- If not available in your first home we will provide two smoke detectors and one
carbon monoxide detector and additional health and safety items such as secure door
locks, fire blanket and first aid kit where appropriate. The total amount is just for
furnishing and setting up your home and is not transferable - £3000.00 in total.
Birthday, Christmas and Festival Gifts
Birthday Gifts
You will receive the following;
• 18yrs - £50
• 19yrs - £25
• 20yrs - £25
• 21yrs - £50
Christmas/Festival Gifts
A Christmas/festival gift of £25 and young people living independently will additionally
receive a hamper to the value of £25. The Christmas/festival gift can be accessed at a festival/ celebration of your choice.
Universal Credit Claims
When claiming Universal Credit for the first time at 18 and whilst waiting for the first payment that takes five weeks, care experienced young people will continue to receive a maintenance allowance for the five-week waiting period to avoid you having to take a Universal Credit Advance (which you would have to repay).
Your Care Experienced Personal Adviser will ensure claims are submitted at the earliest date and processed quickly by the benefit agency. We have a protocol with the DWP to ensure claims for care experienced young people are processed quickly.
Job Centre Plus in Sefton have named work coaches for Care Experienced Young People who are familiar with the cared for and care experience process and can advise and assist you with any issues you face. Job Centre Plus work coaches will always try to avoid benefit sanctions and can work with you and Personal Advisers to prevent a sanction. However, if a sanction is unavoidable, we will try to ensure you receive support with basic living such as food, heating and travel costs but no money would be given directly.