MoneyWise Financial Guidance
Free, confidential help with debt, benefits, and money worries
We Help People Get Their Finances Back on Track
MoneyWise provides free, independent financial advice to people struggling with debt, benefits, budgeting, or any money worries. We’re a registered charity – completely free, confidential, and on your side. Last year we helped over 12,000 people write off £8.4 million in unaffordable debt and claim £3.2 million in unclaimed benefits.
💰 What We Help With
- Unmanageable debt (credit cards, loans, overdrafts)
- Bailiffs, court summons, CCJs
- Benefits checks & applications
- Budgeting & money management
- Pension guidance (over 50s)
- Energy bill debt
- Council tax arrears
👥 Who We Support
- Anyone in debt or financial difficulty
- People facing bailiffs or court action
- Those struggling with bills
- People on low incomes
- Anyone worried about money
- Pensioners needing guidance
- Absolutely anyone – no restrictions
🔒 Our Promise
- 100% free – no fees ever
- Completely confidential
- Independent advice
- No judgment
- FCA authorized
- On your side, not creditors’
- Help at your own pace
📖 Real Story: How We Helped James Clear £18,000 of Debt
James, 42, had £18,000 in credit card and payday loan debt. After losing his job due to illness, he couldn’t keep up with minimum payments. Bailiffs were threatening to visit, he’d had a CCJ issued, and he was getting 20+ calls a day from debt collectors. James was at breaking point – he couldn’t sleep, couldn’t eat, and had started having panic attacks.
“I was drowning. I’d lie awake at 3am doing mental arithmetic trying to work out how to pay everyone. The bailiff letters terrified me. I was too ashamed to tell anyone – not even my wife knew how bad it was. Calling MoneyWise saved my life. They didn’t judge me. They explained I had options I didn’t know existed. Within 3 months, I had a Debt Relief Order – my £18,000 debt was completely written off. The calls stopped. The bailiffs stopped. I could breathe again.”
What we did for James:
- Full debt advice session (assessed all debts and income)
- Contacted all creditors to stop bailiff action immediately
- Applied for Debt Relief Order (DRO) on his behalf
- DRO approved – £18,000 debt legally written off
- Benefits check revealed he was entitled to £87/week more
- Helped him claim PIP (disability benefit) – successful
- Follow-up support for 6 months
Outcome: £18,000 debt written off, additional £87/week income, bailiffs stopped, mental health dramatically improved, marriage saved. James is now volunteering with us to help others.
Our Free Services Explained
Everything we offer is completely free. Here’s exactly what we do and how it works.
📞 Free Debt Advice Helpline
What we help with over the phone:
- Credit card debt, personal loans, overdrafts
- Payday loans and high-interest borrowing
- Bailiff threats and court action
- Council tax arrears
- Energy bill debt (gas & electric)
- Rent arrears (not mortgage – we can refer you)
- Catalogue debt and buy-now-pay-later
What happens when you call:
- Step 1: Tell us what’s happening (no judgment, completely confidential)
- Step 2: We’ll ask about your debts, income, and essential spending
- Step 3: We’ll explain your options in plain English
- Step 4: Together we’ll decide the best solution for YOUR situation
- Step 5: We can start action immediately (like stopping bailiffs)
Average call time: 45-60 minutes for initial advice. Follow-up calls usually 20-30 minutes.
Solutions we can arrange:
- Debt Relief Order (DRO): Write off up to £50,000 of debt (if you qualify)
- Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA): Freeze interest and pay back what you can afford
- Debt Management Plan (DMP): Negotiate reduced payments with all creditors
- Administration Order: One affordable payment to court who distribute to creditors
- Bankruptcy: Legal protection and fresh start (we’ll explain when this makes sense)
- Token payments: If you genuinely can’t afford anything
💳 Financial Health Check
What is a Financial Health Check? A comprehensive review of your entire financial situation with one of our advisors. Not just debt – everything about your money.
What we’ll look at:
- Income (wages, benefits, pensions) – are you claiming everything you’re entitled to?
- Spending – where your money actually goes
- Debts – priority vs non-priority (we’ll explain the difference)
- Bills – can we reduce them? (energy, phone, insurance, etc.)
- Savings – do you have any emergency fund?
- Future planning – pensions, life insurance, wills
What you’ll get:
- Written report of your financial situation
- Personalized action plan
- Benefits calculation (see if you’re missing out on money)
- Budgeting spreadsheet tailored to you
- List of priority actions with deadlines
- Follow-up support if needed
Who it’s for: Anyone who wants to understand their finances better. Good for:
- People who feel they’re just about managing but always worried
- Those who want to make sure they’re getting all the help available
- Anyone planning for major life changes (retirement, having a baby, etc.)
- People who’ve never really looked at their finances properly
How to book: Call 0800 138 7777 and ask for a Financial Health Check appointment
Where: Any of our 12 UK offices, video call, or phone
What to bring: Recent bank statements (last 3 months), bills, debt letters, benefit letters
🧮 Benefits Calculator & Claims Help
Our benefits calculator checks your entitlement to:
- Universal Credit
- Personal Independence Payment (PIP)
- Attendance Allowance (if you’re over pension age)
- Carer’s Allowance
- Child Benefit & Tax Credits
- Council Tax Support
- Pension Credit
- Housing Benefit (if not on Universal Credit)
- Employment & Support Allowance (ESA)
How it works:
- Use our online calculator at moneywise.org.uk/benefits (15 mins)
- OR call us and we’ll do it with you over the phone (20 mins)
- We’ll tell you what you could be entitled to and how much
- We’ll help you apply for anything you’re missing
Claims support we provide:
- Filling in complex forms (PIP, ESA, UC)
- Gathering supporting evidence
- Submitting applications
- Chasing up delays
- Mandatory reconsiderations if you’re refused
- Tribunal support if needed
👴 Pension Guidance (Age 50+)
What we help with:
- Understanding your pension options
- State Pension forecast and gaps in your NI record
- Workplace pension questions
- Should you access your pension early?
- Annuities vs drawdown – what’s best for you?
- Pension scam protection
- Combining old pensions
We’ll explain:
- Your State Pension age and amount
- How much you have in private/workplace pensions
- The tax implications of accessing pensions
- How pension credit works (if you’re on low income)
- Protecting your pension from scams
Who it’s for: Anyone aged 50+ thinking about retirement or accessing pensions
How to book: Call 0800 138 7777 and ask for pension guidance
🆘 Emergency Crisis Support
Call our crisis line if:
- Bailiffs are at your door RIGHT NOW
- You’ve received an eviction notice
- Your electricity/gas has been cut off
- You’re about to be made homeless
- You have zero money and zero food
- You’re in immediate financial distress
What we can do immediately:
- Stop bailiff action (we can call them on your behalf)
- Arrange emergency food bank vouchers
- Help with emergency fuel vouchers
- Connect you with homeless prevention services
- Emergency benefits advance applications
- Crisis grants and charitable funds
Available: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
Response: Immediate – speak to an advisor within minutes
How to Get Help
You can access our services in three ways – whatever works best for you.
📞 By Phone
Main helpline:
0800 138 7777
Hours:
Monday-Friday: 8am-8pm
Saturday: 9am-1pm
Sunday: Closed
Emergency line:
0800 138 7778
(24/7 for crisis situations)
Most people’s questions can be answered over the phone. Our advisors are excellent at explaining complex things clearly.
👥 Face-to-Face
Where: We have 12 offices across the UK
Appointment: Call 0800 138 7777 to book
Usually available: Within 1-2 weeks
What to bring: Bank statements (last 3 months), bills, debt letters, ID
Good for complex situations or if you prefer talking in person. All offices wheelchair accessible.
💻 Online
Website: moneywise.org.uk
Online tools:
- Benefits calculator
- Budget planner
- Debt priority checker
- Video appointments
Live chat: Mon-Fri 9am-5pm
Good for quick checks or if you prefer typing to talking.
Our Opening Hours
What Happens When You Contact Us
You Tell Us Your Story
No judgment. No pressure. Just tell us what’s going on with your money. Everything is confidential.
We Work Out Your Options
We’ll ask about your income, debts, and spending. Then we’ll explain ALL your options in plain English – not jargon.
You Decide & We Act
YOU choose what happens next. We can contact creditors, apply for debt solutions, or help you claim benefits. You’re in control.
Common Questions
❓ Is your service really free? What’s the catch?
Yes, completely free – no catches. We’re a registered charity funded by government grants, charitable donations, and some creditors who pay us small fees (but this NEVER affects our advice – we work for YOU, not them). Many commercial debt companies charge thousands – we charge nothing. Ever.
❓ Will getting debt advice affect my credit score?
No. Speaking to us is completely confidential and does NOT appear on your credit file. However, some debt solutions (like DROs or IVAs) will affect your credit score – but your credit is probably already damaged if you’re in serious debt. We’ll explain the impact of each option before you decide.
❓ Can you really stop bailiffs?
Often, yes. We can contact creditors on your behalf to stop bailiff action, especially if we’re arranging a payment plan or debt solution. If bailiffs are ALREADY at your door, call our emergency line (0800 138 7778) immediately. We can sometimes get them recalled while you’re still on the phone with us.
❓ How long does it take to get help?
Phone advice: Immediate – call now and speak to an advisor within minutes (might be short queue at busy times). Face-to-face appointments: Usually within 1-2 weeks. Financial Health Check: 1-3 weeks wait. Emergency crisis support: Immediate, 24/7.
❓ What if my debts are really big? Like £50,000+?
We can still help. We regularly help people with £50k, £100k, even £200k+ in debt. Debt Relief Orders can write off up to £50k. IVAs can handle any amount. Bankruptcy can deal with millions. The size of your debt doesn’t matter – call us.
❓ Will you tell my family or employer?
No. Everything is confidential. We won’t contact anyone without your permission. The only exception is if we believe you’re at serious risk of harm to yourself – and we’d discuss this with you first.
❓ I’m too embarrassed to call. Everyone will think I’m stupid.
Please don’t feel embarrassed. Our advisors help hundreds of people every week – teachers, nurses, managers, retired people, young people, everyone. Debt happens to GOOD people in BAD situations. We never judge. Ever. You’ll be amazed how common your situation is.
❓ Can you help with payday loans? I’m trapped in a cycle.
Yes! Payday loan debt is one of our specialties. We can help you break the cycle, negotiate with payday lenders, and set up affordable payments. Many payday loans were irresponsibly lent – we might be able to get them written off entirely.
❓ Do you help with business debts?
Not directly – we specialize in personal debt. However, if you’re a sole trader or small business owner with personal guarantees on business debts, we can help with those. We can also refer you to specialist business debt advisors.
❓ What if I’m already working with a debt management company?
You can switch to us for free. If you’re paying fees to a debt management company for something we’d do free, call us. We’ll review your current plan and see if there’s a better option. You’re not locked in – you can change your mind.
Ask Our Website Assistant
Get instant answers about debt solutions, benefits, how to access help, what we can do for you, and whether we can help with your specific situation. Available 24/7.
Try asking these questions:
💬 MoneyWise Website Assistant
This is where your ChatBot1 plugin will be integrated. The assistant can answer questions about debt solutions, benefits, pensions, how to access help, costs, and what happens when you contact us.
Example questions it can answer:
- What debt solutions do you offer?
- Can you help stop bailiffs?
- How much does your service cost?
- What’s your phone number and opening hours?
- Can you help with benefits claims?
- Do you offer pension advice?
- Is everything confidential?
- How quickly can you help?
MoneyWise Financial Guidance is a fictional organization created for demonstration purposes. This page shows how financial advice charities can use a Website Assistant to provide 24/7 information to people struggling with debt, benefits, and money worries. For real debt advice in the UK, contact StepChange, Citizens Advice, or National Debtline.
