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Money matters

Managing your money

There are lots of ways we can help you with your finances including:

  • Help to open a bank account.
  • Help to get your important identification documents including your first adult passport.
  • A setting up home allowance and extra assistance with the costs of moving into your first home.
  • Information so you know how to access your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund.
  • Exemptions if you pay council tax.
  • Assist you to make a claim by setting up an account online 28 days prior to your 18th birthday.
  • Attend scheduled appointments with the Universal Credit Team at the Job Centre if you want this.
  • Arrange to continue your subs payments for up to five weeks while your claim is being processed. This ensures you don't have to take a Budgeting Advance or a loan if you are doing all you need to get your claim set up. This is because we don’t want you starting adult life owing money.
  • Support you to maintain the ongoing signing appointments and requirements to search for agreed jobs.
  • Access to money management courses and resources including the Stepping Out Toolkit and the Stepladder of Achievement — The Share Foundation.
  • To see at a glance what financial assistance you might access follow this link; Finances:

  • Help to open a bank account.
  • Help to get your important identification documents including your first adult passport
  • a setting up home allowance and extra assistance with the costs of moving into your first home.
  • Information so you know how to access your Junior ISA or Child Trust Fund.
  • Exemptions if you pay council tax.
  • Assist you to make a claim by setting up an account online 28 days prior to your 18th birthday.
  • Attend scheduled appointments with the Universal Credit Team at the Job Centre if you want this.
  • Arrange to continue your subs payments for up to five weeks while your claim is being processed. This ensures you don't have to take a Budgeting Advance or a loan if you are doing all you need to get your claim set up. This is because we don’t want you starting adult life owing money.
  • Support you to maintain the ongoing signing appointments and requirements to search for agreed jobs.

Access to money management courses and resources including the Stepping Out Toolkit ( Stepping Out Document ) and the Stepladder of Achievement — The Share Foundation.

Financial offer

You are entitled to the financial assistance listed below under your care leaver status. Speak to your personal adviser for more information.

Your home

  • Setting Up Home allowance - discretionary with consultation with PA.
  • Sturdy luggage
  • Subsistence allowance
  • Birth certificate
  • First Adult passport and photographs
  • Gym membership

Education and work

  • 16-19 Bursary - discretion of the education provider
  • Computer assistance - discretion of Department for Works and Pension (DWP)/service
  • Prom
  • University Open Days x 5
  • Interview clothing
  • Travel support to new job

Health, welfare and keeping active

  • Summer/Winter clothing - living semi independently
  • New into care Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) one off clothing grant
  • Phone Family International SIM card - discretionary (aged 16/17)
  • Maternity grant
  • Birthdays - living semi-independently, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Festival gift - living semi-independently, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Driving lessons
  • Driving theory test (1st attempt)
  • Driving practical test (1st attempt)
  • Provisional Driving License and photographs - subject to assessment
  • Custody payments - remanded only
  • Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions) - assessment of need
  • Activity/trips 
  • Consultation payments - discretionary

Your home

  • Setting Up Home allowance – if living in an independent home
  • Sturdy luggage
  • Subsistence allowance
  • Birth certificate
  • First Adult passport and photographs
  • Gym membership 
  • Gym membership in line with council gym membership fee

Education and work

  • 16-19 Bursary - discretion of the education provider
  • Computer assistance - discretion of DWP/service
  • Prom
  • University Open Days x 5
  • Interview clothing
  • Travel support to new job

Health, welfare and keeping active

  • Summer/Winter clothing – living semi independently
  • New into care Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking Children (UASC) one off clothing grant
  • Phone Family International SIM card - discretionary (aged 16/17)
  • Maternity grant
  • Birthdays – living semi-independently, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Festival gift - living semi-independently, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Driving lessons
  • Driving theory test (1st attempt)
  • Driving practical test (1st attempt)
  • Provisional Driving License and photographs - subject to assessment
  • Custody payments - remanded only
  • Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions) - assessment of need
  • Activity/trips
  • Consultation payments - discretionary

Your home

  • Setting up home allowance
  • First home food stock
  • First home decorating allowance
  • Sturdy luggage
  • 1st year’s contents insurance
  • Subsistence allowance - 5 weeks from 18th birthday until Universal Credit (UC) claim is live/ evidence of positive immigration outcome
  • Birth certificate
  • First Adult passport and photographs
  • Council tax exemption
  • TV licence (1st year)
  • Gym membership in line with council gym membership fee

Education and work

  • 16-19 bursary - discretion of the education provider
  • FE bursary - discretion of the education provide
  • Computer assistance - discretion of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)/service
  • Prom
  • University Open Days x 5
  • Higher education bursary – paid in instalments
  • Higher education vacation – discretionary
  • Keeping in touch with family – 3 x visit home per year via public transport
  • Graduation celebration – discretionary
  • Interview clothing – if not met by DWP
  • Travel support to new job – if not met by DWP

Health, welfare and keeping active

  • Summer/Winter clothing
  • Maternity grant
  • Birthdays – subject to remaining in touch with the service, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Festival gift - subject to remaining in touch with the service, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Driving lessons
  • Driving theory test (1st attempt)
  • Driving practical test (1st attempt)
  • Provisional Driving License and photographs - subject to assessment
  • Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions) - HC1 Form to be completed https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/ If not eligible for support Leaving Care will assist with the cost of prescriptions NHS prescription charges - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
  • Ask Jan Membership The Rees Foundation | Ask Jan Membership - Rees Foundation Includes access to; 8 x face to face counselling, 24hr Counselling helpline (BACP accredited), Finance advice, Nutrition, exercise, stress and wellbeing advice, specialist helplines, wellbeing app, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), discount and offers for days out
  • Consultation payments – discretionary
  • Rent in advance/deposit – subject to affordability assessment, paid once (where Discretionary Housing Payments (DHP) not available)

Your home

  • Setting up home allowance – including post 25 for care experienced young person leaving custody
  • First home food stock
  • First home decorating allowance
  • Sturdy luggage
  • 1st year’s contents insurance
  • Council tax exemption – discretionary based on available funding arrangements
  • TV licence (1st year)

Education and work

  • EET – FE bursary
  • EET - Computer assistance - discretion of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)/service
  • University Open Days x 5
  • EET - Higher education bursary – paid in instalments
  • EET - Higher education vacation – discretionary
  • EET – Keeping in touch with family – 3 x visit home per year via public transport
  • EET - Graduation celebration – discretionary
  • EET - Interview clothing – discretionary if not met by DWP
  • EET- Travel support to new job – discretionary if not met by DWP

Health, welfare and keeping active

  • Birthdays – subject to remaining in touch with the service, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Festival gift - subject to remaining in touch with the service, plus discretionary gift if still in touch
  • Driving lessons
  • Driving theory test (1st attempt)
  • Driving practical test (1st attempt)
  • Provisional Driving License and photographs - subject to assessment
  • Health costs (dentist, optician, prescriptions) - HC1 Form to be completed https://www.nhs.uk/nhs-services/help-with-health-costs/nhs-low-income-scheme-lis/ If not eligible for support Leaving Care will assist with the cost of prescriptions NHS prescription charges - NHS (www.nhs.uk)
  • Ask Jan Membership The Rees Foundation | Ask Jan Membership - Rees Foundation Includes access to; 8 x face to face counselling, 24hr Counselling helpline (BACP accredited), Finance advice, Nutrition, exercise, stress and wellbeing advice, specialist helplines, wellbeing app, Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), discount and offers for days out
  • Consultation payments – discretionary
  • Rent in advance/deposit – subject to affordability assessment, paid once (where Discretionary Housing Payments DHP not available)