Breathing Space: debt respite in England and Wales
England and Wales
Breathing Space may provide temporary protection from some creditor actions for qualifying people.
PublicHelp.co.uk
Guides
Explore support guides by theme
Browse 79 published guides by life situation. Some guides appear in more than one theme because their advice covers several needs. Always check the original provider for current rules.
Income & living costs
Benefits, budgeting, essentials and emergency help.
Crisis and Resilience Fund: local emergency help in England — practical guide
England
Councils in England offer local support with essentials, including food, energy and some housing costs.
Debt advice: free support and repayment options
UK
Free impartial advice can help you assess debt and prioritise essential bills.
Discretionary Support in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Discretionary Support may offer a grant or an interest-free loan for exceptional short-term needs.
Emergency assistance in Wales
Wales
The Welsh Discretionary Assistance Fund can help some people in emergencies or when setting up a home after serious hardship.
Family Fund: grants for families with disabled children
UK - programmes vary
Family Fund provides grant programmes for families raising disabled or seriously ill children.
Financial help for grocery workers: GroceryAid grants
uk
GroceryAid offers grants for eligible people working or previously employed in the grocery sector.
Find charitable grants without paying a fee
UK
Charitable grants can sometimes help with essential goods, household needs or a specific personal circumstance.
Finding urgent household financial support in England
england
If an unexpected expense or income drop creates hardship, a local authority may be able to provide crisis support through its Crisis and Resilience Fund arrangements.
Food banks: finding local emergency food support
UK
Community organisations and food banks can assist people facing food insecurity.
Help to Save: government-backed savings bonus — practical guide
England
Help to Save is a government savings account with a bonus for people meeting qualifying low-income conditions.
How to check benefits with an independent calculator
UK
Independent benefits calculators can help estimate possible support, based on the information you enter.
Licensed Trade Charity: grant support for hospitality workers
uk
The Licensed Trade Charity may provide one-off assistance to eligible workers from the licensed hospitality sector.
Plan a household budget when bills rise
UK
A simple budget helps reveal how much income remains after essential spending and whether you need additional support.
Railway Benefit Fund: applying for financial support
uk
Railway Benefit Fund provides non-repayable support funds for eligible railway-connected households.
Royal British Legion: financial and practical support
UK
The Royal British Legion offers support services for eligible armed forces communities.
Turn2us: searching for charitable grants
UK
Turn2us offers a grants search to help people identify charitable funds that may match their needs.
Universal Credit Budgeting Advance: one-off costs — practical guide
England
Certain Universal Credit claimants may access a repayable advance for eligible one-off household needs.
Universal Credit: check before you claim
UK
Universal Credit may help with living costs if you have a low income or are out of work.