Money & bills
On benefits and money is tight? Free budgeting tools and help you may not know about
Free official tools can help you plan a budget, decide which bills to pay first and find free, confidential debt advice. If you get Universal Credit and earn from work, Help to Save adds a 50p bonus for every £1 you save. Budgeting Loans, which are interest-free, or Budgeting Advances for Universal Credit claimants can help with essential one-off costs.
Reviewed 08/11/2026 · Applies to: UK-wide (some schemes differ in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland)
Who this helps
People across the UK receiving Universal Credit or other benefits who want to manage money, avoid debt or cope with one-off costs.
What to do
- Use MoneyHelper's free Budget planner to record what comes in and goes out.
- Use MoneyHelper's Bill prioritiser to decide which bills to deal with first, because missing some bills has more serious consequences than others.
- Get free, confidential debt advice through MoneyHelper's Debt advice locator, especially if you face bailiffs, a court summons, gas or electricity being cut off, or repossession.
- If you get Universal Credit and had take-home pay of £1 or more in your last monthly assessment period, open a Help to Save account: save £1 to £50 a month and get a 50p bonus for every £1, paid at the end of years two and four.
- For essential one-off costs such as furniture, rent in advance or starting a new job: if you get Universal Credit, ask about a Budgeting Advance; if you have had Income Support, income-based JSA, income-related ESA or Pension Credit for six months, check if you can get an interest-free Budgeting Loan.
- In an emergency, ask your council about local help: the Household Support Fund in England, the Scottish Welfare Fund, the Discretionary Assistance Fund in Wales, or the Finance Support Service in Northern Ireland.
Before you act
- Budgeting Loans and Budgeting Advances must be repaid; Budgeting Loan repayments are taken automatically from your benefits.
- Budgeting Loans work differently in Northern Ireland, and Universal Credit payment timings differ in Scotland and Northern Ireland.
- Eligibility depends on your circumstances. This is general information, not financial advice.
Take the next step
Continue to the provider’s website to check the latest details and use the service.
MoneyHelper: managing money on benefits ↗Destination: www.moneyhelper.org.uk
Sources
- Help managing your money if you get benefits (MoneyHelper) ↗
- Cost of living: managing money (GOV.UK) ↗
- Help to Save (GOV.UK) ↗
- Budgeting Loans (GOV.UK) ↗
MyAgumba explains the sources above. Eligibility and availability depend on your circumstances and the provider’s current rules.