Help with rent and mortgage arrears

Contact your Customer Accounts team (during normal office hours) on: 01249 466120 or email: customer.accounts@westlea.co.uk
The name of the officer who looks after your account is shown on all letters we send you.

PAY YOUR RENT ONLINE

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Home ownership – how and where to get help with rent and mortgage arrears

We know that, from time to time, you may have money problems and find it hard to pay your rent. If this happens, please ask us for advice straight away so that we can help you avoid getting into debt. There are lots of ways we can help you before the problem gets too serious. We do not want to take legal action against anyone, but the more serious it gets, the more likely it is we will take you to court.

We will treat your personal information as confidential under the Data Protection Act.

There are things you can do to avoid getting behind with your rent:

• Pay as much as you can afford, even if you can’t pay the full amount.
• If you find it hard to pay the rent, contact us straight away so we can give you advice.
• Work with us to agree a payment plan.
• Claim Housing and Council Tax Benefit from your local council.
• Find out if you can claim other benefits or tax credits.
• Try to reduce your outgoings by comparing prices and switching your energy suppliers.
• Contact our Westlea-funded Citizens Advice project worker or ‘Money Friend’ to get advice and support. These people can give you advice on making the most of your money, claiming benefits you are entitled to and managing your debts.

If you find it hard to pay your mortgage, please contact your mortgage provider straight away. They also may be able to come to an arrangement with you to pay your rent by adjusting your mortgage payment instalments.

Please remember, no-one wants you to lose your home and all organisations will try to help you.

Help to pay the rent

Housing Benefit and Council Tax Benefit

If you find it hard to afford the rent, you may be able to get help from your local council by making a claim for Housing Benefit. You can claim Housing Benefit if you are out of work or if your family’s income is low. The form the local council will ask you to fill in may also entitle you to help with paying your council tax.

Depending on the area you live in, you can get Housing Benefit forms from your local council using the following numbers.

North Wiltshire – 0800 270428 (Freephone)
West Wiltshire – 01225 776655
Swindon Borough Council – 0845 850 0962

The sooner you register a claim with the council, the better. Otherwise, you may lose some of the benefit you are entitled to.

Mortgage payments

The Government has changed the rules for people who are unemployed and need help paying a mortgage.

The help the Government gives towards paying your mortgage is called Income Support Mortgage Interest (ISMI).

To get this help, you need to be entitled to:

• income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance;
• Income Support; or
• Employment Support Allowance (the new Incapacity Benefit).

If you are entitled, you can claim help towards paying your mortgage interest after 13 weeks. For all new claims, you will be able to get help on the first £200,000 of your loan.

To find out if you can get help towards paying your mortgage interest, and to get more advice, please call the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) on 0845 608 8578.

Time limits on mortgage interest payments

If you are claiming income-based Jobseeker’s Allowance, there is a two-year time limit on paying mortgage interest.

Money advice

North Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau

We have set up a scheme with North Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau to make sure you get help with:

• claiming the benefits you are entitled to;
• making your money go further;
• any financial difficulties;
• banking, and what to do if you don’t have a bank account; and
• finding affordable credit (saving and borrowing from a credit union).

If you would like to find out about benefits you may be entitled to

Your Citizens Advice project worker will:

• check whether you are entitled to a benefit;
• check you are receiving the right amount;
• help you to make a claim or appeal;
• help you if you have been paid too much and have to pay some back; and
• tell you how to get specialist help.

If you need help with financial problems

Your Citizens Advice project worker will help you to:

• put together a realistic budget;
• talk to people you owe money to, and agree affordable repayments; and
• deal with legal action taken against you.

You can contact the project worker by:

• e-mailing the Citizens Advice Bureau at westlea@northwiltscab.org.uk;
• phoning 01249 445115 (extension 3); or
• texting the Citizens Advice Bureau on 07890 733919.

If you would like to find out how to make your money go further...

The North Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau also has a ‘Money Friend’, who will help you to:

• reduce the costs of your electricity and gas;
• get the costs of your water supply reduced (depending on your circumstances); 
• set up a bank account or credit union account which is suitable to your situation;
• apply for grants; and
• get access to the Government’s Child Trust Fund.

You can contact your Money Friend by:

• e-mailing the Citizens Advice Bureau at moneyfriend@northwilts.cab.org.uk;
• phoning 01249 445115 (extension 3); or
• texting the Citizens advice Bureau on 07890 733919.

The citizens advice bureau’s main phone number (for any other advice) is 0845 1203707.

The contact details for the other local citizens advice bureaus are as follows.

West Wiltshire Citizens Advice Bureau
1 Mill Street
Trowbridge
Wiltshire
BA14 8BE
Phone: 0845 120 3737

Swindon Citizens Advice Bureau
Faringdon House
1 Faringdon Road
Swindon
SN1 5AR
Phone: 0845 050 5155

The national Citizens Advice website address is www.citizensadvice.org.uk.

Other advice and support agencies

If you are struggling to pay your rent, mortgage, or other debts, there are many other organisations who can help you.

National Debtline

Tricorn House
51 – 53 Hagley Road
Edgbaston
Birmingham
B16 8TP
Freephone: 0808 808 4000

Opening hours:
Monday to Friday – 9 am to 9pm
Saturday – 9.30 am to 1pm

(There is a 24-hour voicemail service and you can leave a message to ask for an information pack.)
Website: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk

Consumer Credit Counselling Service

Wade House
Merrion Centre
Leeds
LS2 8NG
Phone: 0800 1381111
Website: www.cccs.co.uk

Credit unions

Credit unions can help you manage your money and make it go further. If you want to find out how they can help you, and to join a credit union, please call one of the local credit unions or visit the website www.communityfirst.org.uk/credit-union.htm.

North Wiltshire – Phone: 07799 735116
West Wiltshire – Phone: 01225 708315
Swindon – Phone: 01793 552202

Other useful websites

The Insolvency Service – www.insolvency.gov.uk
Her Majesty’s Courts Service – www.hmcourts-service.gov.uk
Financial Service Authority (FSA) – www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk/

If you need help, please ask soon!

You can download a copy of this information in PDF format here.

Tools are available on the Adobe website to help users access the contents of PDF documents.

 

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