Financial Wellbeing


Click here for printable Financial Wellbeing Information and Support

Financial Wellbeing and Employee Benefits

With the rising cost of living, making your money go further is becoming an increasing challenge, with some of us finding it harder than ever to cover the costs of energy bills, childcare, petrol, and the weekly shop.

When you’re facing money worries, it can feel overwhelming, taking a toll on your physical and mental health.

But you’re not alone and you can access help.

Here you’ll find practical advice to help you manage your finances with more confidence, with access to the right support when you need it.

Getting help with your finances

If you need somewhere to turn to help you get your finances in order, there are lots of organisations and advisory services out there to help you get started.

The MoneyHelper Service

  • MoneyHelper offer support to help you manage your finances at home, which offers a dedicated free NHS staff telephone support line.
  • 0800 448 0826 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm)
  • WhatsApp +44 07701 342 744
  • Webchat their online portal: https://webchat.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/newchat/chat.aspx?domain=people.nhs.uk
  • MoneyHelper also have a range of tools and resources you can use to help with things like budget planning, debt advice, benefits, and help with scams.

Free Debt Advice

Use our debt advice locator | MoneyHelper

Retirement Advisor 

Retirement Adviser Directory | Find a regulated financial adviser | MoneyHelper

Pre-retirement Course for Retirement Planning

Book retirement planning course here

Retirement might be up to 10 years away but it’s never too soon to start planning. This course is perfect for anyone thinking about retirement or already in the planning stages.

The course will look at:

  • Planning for the changes to your lifestyle
  • Maximise the benefits of your State and workplace pensions.
  • Make the most of your tax-free cash.
  • Understand the income options available from your pension.
  • Achieve your retirement goals.

Focus on Finances

Click this video to look at ways to cut your costs, by focusing on shopping, regular subscriptions, energy usage, and other money-saving hacks. It also provides information on the energy price cap, changes in tax and national insurance, and the energy bills support scheme.

https://www.affinityconnect.org/webcast/?uuid=188

Money Saving Expert

Citizens Advice Bureau

  • Citizens Advice Bureau can help you resolve any issues you are having, including benefits, employment, housing and many more.
  • 01623 203080
  • https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
  • There are currently( updated March 2024) no Citizens Advice Outreach appointments at Sherwood Forest Hospitals but you can get advice online via webchat and or call their national phone line  0800 144 8 444

Step Change Debt Charity

The Debt Respite Scheme

Cost of Living Directory from Ashfield Voluntary Action and Ashfield District Council

Ashfield Voluntary Action and Ashfield District Council have been working together to bring you a Directory of support services to help you to navigate your way through the Cost-of-Living crisis.

The information in the Directory is helpfully arranged in sections by subject so that anyone can access the information easily.

New Cost-of-Living Directory from AVA and ADC - Ashfield Voluntary Action

Red Cross

Ask Bill

Benefit Eligibility Tool

National Debt line

  • 0808 808 4000

Debt Advice Foundation

  • 0800 043 40 50

Grants and help with costs

Wage Stream

Salary Finance

With Salary Finance, Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust colleagues have access to a range of financial benefits. They offer:

  • Salary Advance- access a proportion of salary early (NOTE: only intented for occasional use in an emergency to avoid the use of expensive payday loans)
  • Loans that are deducted directly from your salary, which means higher rates of acceptance, even if your credit history isn’t perfect. 
  • Money Guides to help with managing your spending

Visit Salary Finance

 

Cavell Trust

  • Help nurses, midwives and healthcare assistants, both working and retired, when they’re suffering personal or financial hardship. This is often due to illness, disability, older age, domestic abuse and the impact of rising living costs.
  • cavellnursestrust.org
  • 01527 595 999

Royal Medical Benevolent Fund

They provide a very short questionnaire, which can identify which medical charities may be available to help in specific instances - the link to this is Financial support for doctors and their families (doctorshelp.org.uk)

Turn2us

  • Support to access welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help. Their website includes a benefits calculator, grants search database, information on welfare benefits, charitable grants and managing money
  • turn2us.org.uk

Getting help with pet healthcare costs

  • It can be stressful when your pet is unwell and if you’re also worried about money this can make the situation feel worse. The longer your pet is unwell the worse their illness can become. Seeking advice quickly will likely reduce costs overall and be best for your pet’s health.
  • The RSPCA have produced guidance on how to manage the costs and what you can do to keep them down
  • https://www.rspca.org.uk/whatwedo/care/financial

Gambling

East Midlands NHS Gambling Harm Clinic

An NHS gambling harm service for adults affected by gambling in the East Midlands. This service can be accessed virtually or in-person in Derby.

Call Free: 0300 013 2330

Visit NHS Website

Gambling Support | Ask Lion - Nottingham City Directory

Talking about stress relating to your finances

Have a Wellbeing Conversation

  • If you’re struggling and its causing you anxiety and worry please do not suffer in silence. The Trust is here to support you, to listen to your concerns and worries through a wellbeing conversation, but also to support to know where you can get further help.

 

Spiritual and Pastoral Care Service

  • This is a confidential service for all staff across the Trust from all faiths or no faith.
  • You can either pop by to the Faith Centre (Kings Mill) or Chapel (Newark) or call or email to book in a time to see one of the team.
  • They can provide initial pastoral support and signpost you to help find the most appropriate support services, depending on your needs. In some situations, they can also refer you directly and put you in contact with the relevant services.
  • The service can also provide a named member of the team that you can contact directly. This will usually be by arrangement with your line manager and might be especially helpful for any staff who are experiencing difficult and sensitive circumstances.
  • This service can also be accessed by staff who are absent from work for any reason.
  • Please contact the team on extension 3047 or 5643.

 

VIVUP Employee Assistance Programme

Nottinghamshire Staff Support Hub

 Stop Smoking

Stopping smoking can save you £100s-£1000s pounds a year and there is free treatment (Nicotine Replacement Therapy) call ext. 6066 or visit Support in Your Area - Mansfield and Ashfield (yourhealthnotts.co.uk)

Reduce Alcohol

Reducing alcohol can of course help you save money but also benefit your health too. Try the free unit and calorie counter to see where you can save.

Unit and Calorie Calculator | Drinkaware

Support in Your Area - Mansfield and Ashfield (yourhealthnotts.co.uk)

or for Free Drug and Alcohol Support see: Nottinghamshire | Change Grow Live

Helping you find NHS Staff Deals and Discounts

There are a range of discounts available to NHS staff, whether it’s at restaurants, cinemas, clothes shops or toy shops, you can often find there are offers available at both local shops and national chains.

NHS staff can sign up with the below providers to access the discounts:

 

Getting help with childcare costs

Tax free childcare

  • Tax Free Childcare is a government scheme offering up to £2,000 a year per child (the government will pay £2 for every £8 you pay in up to the £2K limit) to help with the costs of childcare. The money can go towards a whole range of regulated childcare, whether nurseries, childminders, after-school clubs, or holiday clubs.
  • Find out more, check your childcare calculations, and how to apply on the Childcare Choices website: https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk/
  • This can be used in addition to your 15 or 30 hours funded hours for children aged 2-4.
  • This can be used for children up to the age of 12 years old.

Healthcare Workers Foundation

  • The Healthcare Workers Foundation provide financial support for childcare related costs through grants of up to a total of £1,000 annually.
  • Use your NHS email to register for a free account and find out more about childcare grants here: https://healthcareworkersfoundation.org/healthchain/login

Child benefits

30 hours free childcare

  • You will be able to get 30 hours free childcare each week if:
  • You live in England
  • Your child is 3 to 4 years old
  • You’re in work, on sick leave, annual leave or on shared parental, maternity, paternity, or adoption leave
  • Visit: https://www.gov.uk/30-hours-free-childcare

Free childcare places for the school holidays

  • If your child is aged between 5-16 years old and in receipt of benefits related free school meals and you are trying to access holiday programmes, all you will need to do is book a place and self-declare that your children are in receipt of free school meals.
  • You can book here by using the postcode search facility: https://bit.ly/3caFF9V

Getting help with travelling to work

From fuel costs and insurance to repairs and maintenance, running a car can be very expensive. If you’re struggling to keep up with car related costs, here is some information that may help.

Fuel price comparison sites

MOTs

Lease car scheme

  • An opportunity to lease a brand-new vehicle at a lower price than the market. 
  • Leased cars include maintenance, insurance, road fund licence and UK breakdown cover
  • Visit: https://www.vivupbenefits.co.uk/

NOTE to consider when taking out salary linked schemes:

      • List prices offered by partners like VIVUP may not necessarily be the best. You would be wise to check prices elsewhere, particularly if there are sales or discounts on the goods from other retailers.
      • Paying for things from your salary may be a convenient way to borrow money, but you might find that you overpaid for the goods and would have been better using other forms of cheap or free credit.
      • If you leave employment before paying for stuff, you might still owe lots of money and find yourself without any pay for a month or two…*
      • Mortgage applications may be based on your salary after reductions, meaning you are permitted to borrow less, or have to pay more to borrow the same amount.
      • For electronics and household goods you will not save on income tax or NI
      • For things like childcare or cycle to work schemes you can make good savings by paying for things from your salary before income tax and national insurance is deducted, making them cheaper overall.
      • It can reduce your “pensionable pay” so reduces your career average earnings that determine your future pension.
      • It may reduce the value of maternity, paternity or sick pay, or death benefits.

Cycle to work scheme

  • The Trust has a cycle to work scheme with VIVIUP, you can access this using their web page.
  • The Cycle to Work scheme enables you to enjoy tax free bikes and accessories for your commute to work, helping you save up to 42% on the latest cycling equipment.
  • Register via the website to find out more: https://www.vivupbenefits.co.uk/

Travel pass scheme

  • We are now offering access to discount Stagecoach bus passes that you can pay for on a monthly basis with deductions being made from net salary.
  • Trent Barton offer discounts for passes paid via direct Debit
  • For more information e-mail: sfh-tr.estates@nhs.net

 Getting Help with the expenses of work

There are some expenses that you can claim via the tax office. For details on how to register for them simply via a phonecall to the local tax office see:

https://www.gov.uk/tax-relief-for-employees/professional-fees-and-subscriptions

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/job-expenses-for-uniforms-work-clothing-and-tools

Getting help with feeding your family

Company Shop

  • Company Shop offers surplus products from well-known brands at massively discounted prices, helping stretched budgets go further.
  • Leicester - Unit 5, Leicester Business Park, Leicester, LE3 1UT
  • Long Eaton (Nottingham) - Unit 1, Westgate Retail Park, Long Eaton, NG10 1EQ
  • Wentworth (Barnsley) - Wentworth Way, Wentworth Industrial Estate, Tankersley, S75 3DH,
  • Membership is free to NHS employees, volunteers, pension recipients of the NHS, emergency services staff, prison service staff, and the British Armed Forces.
  • Visit the website to apply for a membership: companyshopgroup.co.uk

Vivup

Healthy start vouchers

  • If you’re more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.
  • https://www.healthystart.nhs.uk/

Too Good to Go App

  • The Too Good to Go app helps to reduce food waste and save you money at the same time by buying ‘end of the day’ food from local cafés, bakeries and restaurants which have leftover, and lets you buy it at a discounted rate.
  • You can buy a ‘magic bag’ of food via the app, which costs between £2 and £4, and Too Good to Go says the food will be worth at least three times as much as if you’d bought it at full price.
  • Once you’ve selected the store you want to rescue food from, you pay via the app. Then simply visit the location during the set collection time to pick up your bag (you’ll need to check this on the app, as the collection time varies from place to place).
  • https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.app.tgtg&hl=en_GB&gl=US
  • Add

Cooking on a Bootstrap

  • Jack Monroe’s Cooking on a Bootstrap website is filled with ideas and recipes for making the most out of the cheapest ingredients and discounted items in the shops.
  • Visit: https://cookingonabootstrap.com/

Local Foodbanks

  • To access a food bank, you usually need a voucher from some frontline professionals, doctors, health visitors, social workers, church ministers, schools and Citizens Advice.
  • You can also call - Trussell Trust on 0808 208 2138
  • Once you have a voucher, you can exchange it for a minimum 3 day supply of food at specific food banks.
  • Our Chaplaincy team can help to direct and support you to access food banks. Contact elizabeth.franklin@nhs.net with “food bank” in the subject title.

 

Getting help with grants

Many organisations and charities provide access to financial support for healthcare staff through grant funding.

Here are just some of the organisations you can apply for grant funding with:

UNISON

  • Unison offers a one-off grant of £250 to help with essential expenses, urgent repairs, disability equipment and adaptations, utility bills and funeral costs.
  • To be eligible to apply for financial assistance, you must have been a member of UNISON for at least four weeks and up to date with your subscriptions.
  • https://www.unison.org.uk/get-help/
  • 0800 0 857 857

Royal College of Nursing

  • The RCN offers benefits and debt advice as well as RCN Foundation Benevolent Service hardship grants for nurses, midwives, and healthcare support workers, who are finding it hard to make ends meet.
  • https://rcnfoundation.rcn.org.uk/Apply-For-Funding/Hardship-grants
  • 0345 772 6100 (RCN members) (8:30am -8:30pm, seven days a week)
  • 0345 772 6200 (Not an RCN Member) (8:30am -8:30pm, seven days a week)

The Healthcare Workers Foundation

  • Healthcare Workers’ Foundation has opened it’s ‘childcare grant’ service. The maximum award is £1,000 for increased childcare costs due to the pandemic. All NHS workers are eligible. You will be required to submit NHS ID and evidence of pre-and-post pandemic costs, so please have this ready.
  • https://healthcareworkersfoundation.org/grants-and-financial-assistance/

The Care Workers’ Charity

CSIS Charity Fund

Turn2us

Queries related to this page: sfh-tr.wellbeing@nhs.net