Financial Advice

Direction for Bedfordshire can introduce you to a collection of funders in your area who can help with individual financial advice and support, whether it be money for buying equipment or household goods, debt recovery or training and clothing you may need for job interviews

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Fearless

Fearless

0800 555 111

Fearless is a site where young people can access non-judgemental information and advice about crime and criminality. What makes this site different is we also provide you with a safe place to give information to us about crime - 100% anonymously - you don't have to give any personal information.

Areas of Operation:
National

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2020 Guide to Universal Credit

2020 Guide to Universal Credit

User-friendly guide to help people understand the Universal Credit benefit system

Areas of Operation:
National

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Impakt Interiors

Impakt Interiors

01234 307040

Impakt Interiors ((formerly known as 4mation) is part of IMPAKT Housing & Support (formerly YMCA Bedfordshire). They sell second-hand, refurbished and new household furniture. Via Impakt Preloved, they also offer household appliances. Offer volunteering opportunities to help people gain skills. Impakt Food Community Larder can provide access to free healthy food essentials.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Advice Central

Advice Central

0300 303 6666

People living in Central Bedfordshire now have a single source of information on a vast range of topics including: benefits, debt, disabilities, education, health, housing, immigration, employment, legal and more.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

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Bedford Borough Council

Bedford Borough Council

The advice and benefits pages provide useful information and help on many of the issues such as Housing Benefit, Council Tax, Benefit Grants and alternatives to Payday Loans.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Bedford Credit Union

Bedford Credit Union

01234 346 352
generalmanager@bcumail.org.uk

Bedford Credit Union (BCU) is a not-for-profit financial co-operative owned and controlled by its members. We encourage regular saving and thrift together with the provision of loans that are sensibly priced and affordable. BCU has community service at its heart and as such we involve volunteers in the running of the office, carrying out many of the key functions of the business.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds

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Bedford Foodbank

Bedford Foodbank

01234 268569
info@bedford.foodbank.org.uk

Bedford Foodbank’s volunteers work with referral partners to provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in our community.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Citizens Advice – Bedford & District

Citizens Advice – Bedford & District

01234 867944
Admin@bedfordcab.org.uk

​Citizens Advice Bedford & District is an independent charitable organisation that helps people resolve their problems by providing information and advice. The service is open to anyone: it is free, independent, confidential and impartial. CAB&D exists to help those who live or work in the Borough of Bedford.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Better Housing Better Health

Better Housing Better Health

0800 107 0044
bhbh@nef.org.uk

The Better Housing Better Health (BHBH) service has been commissioned to help keep residents warm and well at home and reduce their energy bills. In a preventative approach to health and wellbeing the free to use helpline provides residents with a single point of contact for advice, grants and other local services in order to help improve the energy efficiency of their property. Residents who call the helpline can have their needs assessed over the phone and, where eligible, can be referred for: free impartial advice; energy bill discounts; grants and funding for energy efficiency measures such as insulation or new heating systems and access to other support services

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

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Citizens Advice – Luton

Citizens Advice – Luton

0344 245 1285

We provide free, confidential and impartial advice and campaign on big issues affecting people's lives. Our goal is to help everyone find a way forward, whatever problem they face. We're an independent charity and part of the Citizens Advice network across England and Wales.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Christians Against Poverty

Christians Against Poverty

0800 328 0006
info@capuk.org

Christians Against Poverty has been providing free professional debt help through local churches throughout the UK since 1996. The head office is in Bradford, but all our Debt Centres, Job Clubs, Life Skills groups and CAP Money Courses are run locally through churches that are already based in the community. We are passionate about releasing people from a life sentence of poverty, debt, unemployment and addiction. In Bedford the CAP Debt Help Centre is run in partnership with: Grace Community Church - Kempston - available: Monday to Thursday 9:30am to 5pm and Friday 9:30am to 3:30pm

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Dunstable Foodbank

Dunstable Foodbank

07874 200056
info@dunstablefoodbank.org.uk

Dunstable Foodbank’s volunteers work with referral partners to provide a minimum of three days emergency food and support to people experiencing crisis in our community.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds

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Empowering Education

Empowering Education

01582 203 725 / 07555 726 984
empowering3ducation@gmail.com


Empowering Education, established since 2010, began in a retail unit as an outreach project supporting women in the local areas of Luton to learn basic English and digital skills. We have since received an enormous amount of support from experienced educators, volunteers and so on. Empowering Education are a community based organisation aimed at supporting anyone who needs support in education and lifelong skills. They have set up various projects across UK supporting different projects, empowering local communities, local men, local women and local youths, making the difference to individuals. They offer digital skills, basic ESOL and tuition facilities, EU settlement and Windrush applications, and immigration advice. They also deliver mental health and physical workshops.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Job Centre Plus

Job Centre Plus

0800 1690 190

Your local Job Centre can administer claims for Universal Credit. Claims can be made on the website. If you are looking for work you should be allocated a Work Coach who has access to training courses, support with creating your CV and finding a job, a Flexible Support Fund for anything that you need that is considered to be a barrier to employment, and Enterprise Support for those looking to start their own business. There is additional support for those under 25yrs including the Kick Start scheme.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton, National

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Level Trust

Level Trust

07480 753905
admin@leveltrust.org

We help families overcome the costs of education so all children in Luton have the chance to love learning.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Borough Council

Luton Borough Council

The advice and benefits pages provide useful information and help on many of the issues including various Benefits entitlements, Council Tax Reduction, Universal Credit and Local Welfare Assistance.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Community Food Hub

Luton Community Food Hub

The Luton Community Food Hub is a resource to help the residents of Luton to find services in the area that support those facing hunger and food poverty and to support healthier eating.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Foodbank

Luton Foodbank

01582 725838
info@lutonfoodbank.org.uk

Non-perishable food is donated at collection points across the town. People needing food are given a voucher by front-line professional agencies.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Irish Forum

Luton Irish Forum

01582 720447
info@lutonirishforum.org

Objectives of the Luton Irish Forum are to relieve persons in need, poverty or distress, particularly, but not exclusively of Irish descent, through the provision of advice and information concerning health and benefits as well as other support.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Law Centre

Luton Law Centre

01582 481000
admin@lutonlawcentre.org.uk

Luton Law Centre is a not-for-profit legal practice which gives professional, confidential legal advice and assistance. We use our legal expertise to make sure everyone has access to justice. We help people get the support they are entitled to, or get redress for unfair or wrong decisions. Services include EU Settled Status, Immigration and Asylum, Windrush Scheme, Housing and Homelessness, and Community Care.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Rights

Luton Rights

01582 453372
admin@lutonrights.org

Luton Rights seeks to address the practical, financial and social problems encountered by the unemployed and other disadvantaged sections of the population within the Luton and surrounding areas.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Luton Roma Trust

Luton Roma Trust

01582 510709
office@lutonromatrust.org.uk

The Luton Roma Trust supports the Roma community to integrate in a holistic way into life in the UK. Working at the heart of Luton’s Roma community, we meet them in their deepest need, helping them to access accommodation, education, welfare, medical care and employment.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Migrant Help UK

Migrant Help UK

0808 8010 503
info@migranthelpuk.org

Help for people affected by displacement and exploitation. We offer our clients the advice and support they need to feel safe and lead successful lives in the UK. We assist victims of human trafficking and modern slavery on their path to recovery and work with other agencies to combat this abhorrent crime.

Areas of Operation:
National

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Money Advice Service

Money Advice Service

0800 138 7777
enquiries@maps.org.uk

Free and impartial money advice, set up by government. Advice and guides to help improve your finances. Tools and calculators to help keep track and plan ahead. Support over the phone and online.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

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Money Matters

Money Matters

07716 84880
headoffice@mmcu.co.uk

Money Matters Credit Union has been established since 1995 and we provide affordable financial services to those who live and / or work in Luton and South Bedfordshire in the LU postcode area.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds, Luton

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National Debtline

National Debtline

0808 808 4000

Giving free, impartial and confidential debt advice for over 25 years. We are an independent charity, dedicated to providing free debt advice by phone and online to people across the UK.

Areas of Operation:
National

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One Stop Advice Centre

One Stop Advice Centre

01582 967 473
info@onestopadvicecentre.org.uk

One Stop Advice Centre (OSAC) provides comprehensive advice and support in areas (representation in some areas) of welfare benefits, debt, housing and immigration.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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Pay Plan

Pay Plan

0800 280 2816

At PayPlan we understand the impact that debt can have on you, your family and your life. We believe that you can, and should, live a happy life whilst repaying your debt. Every year, we offer guidance on a wide range of practical debt solutions to more than 80,000 people.

Areas of Operation:
National

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PBIC

PBIC

01234 328100
info@pbic.org.uk

Helping migrants settle, achieve and contribute. Our organisation was formally set up in 2007 and offers services that aim to empower and encourage individuals to become independent, allowing them to take ownership of their issues, understand their rights and the systems that govern the communities in which they live. All our services are free of charge to our clients, delivered mostly by multilingual volunteers, advisors and teachers giving people somewhere to go and speak in their own language, express their concerns and to be listened to. Our holistic approach means anyone who turns to us for help should be confident that they will receive support.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

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Salvation Army

Salvation Army

01582 450038
luton@salvationarmy.org.uk

The Salvation Army works with Community Money Advice (CMA) to provide debt advice services including producing statements of client's income, providing budgeting advice, writing to creditors on the client's behalf and providing pastoral and practical support.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

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St Andrew’s Church

St Andrew’s Church

07599 618602
moneyadvice@standrewsbedford.org

​We hold confidential debt advice sessions on a Thursday morning at St Andrew’s Church Centre in Kimbolton Road, Bedford MK40 2PF and at other times by arrangement. Our trained debt advisers will not judge you; they will listen to you and offer you solutions.

Areas of Operation:
Bedford

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Step Change

Step Change

0800 138 1111

Our expert advice helps you deal with your debts and get the support you need. You can get advice online or over the phone, and we'll recommend a range of practical debt solutions based on your situation.

Areas of Operation:
National

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Stepping Stones

Stepping Stones

01582 457114
hello@steppingstonesluton.org.uk

Stepping Stones (Luton) is a charity dedicated to supporting women to transform the stumbling blocks of their lives into stepping stones; creating happier, healthier lives for women, their children and families. We provide a safe, welcoming, non-judgemental environment for women living in Luton and Central Bedfordshire, who have suffered abuse, who are vulnerable due to substance misuse, offending, mental health conditions and/or are involved with Local Authority Children’s Social Care.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds, Luton

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Stop Loan Sharks

Stop Loan Sharks

0300 555 2222
reportaloanshark@stoploansharks.gov.uk

If you are the victim of a loan shark, help and support is available – please don’t suffer in silence. A loan should only be given by a person or company who has a licence to do so. Anyone else offering a loan is committing an offence and could be prosecuted, whether they are using threats or not. You will not get into trouble for taking out a loan, and you can help others as well as yourself by reporting these offences. Stop Loan Sharks is run by the England Illegal Money Lending Team and they offer a service to investigate these offences - they are very successful at what they do. There is a 24 hour helpline, or you can use the live chat on their website. Trained professionals are there to help, and will investigate as well as ensure that any measures needed to ensure a person's safety are put in place.

Areas of Operation:
National

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TaxAid

TaxAid

0345 120 3779

TaxAid offers free, confidential advice on tax to those on low incomes. We are a safety net for those who cannot be assisted by HMRC because they need independent advice, or calculations, or they are in dispute with HMRC.

Areas of Operation:
National

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The Courtney Foundation

The Courtney Foundation

07311063676
info@thecourtneyfoundation.org

We provide free clothes and shoes to people experiencing financial difficulty.

Areas of Operation:
Luton

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The Hygiene Bank

The Hygiene Bank

thbluton@gmail.com

The Hygiene Bank is a grassroots, community initiative giving hygiene, personal care and household cleaning products to those of us who need them across the UK. In Bedfordshire, The Hygiene Bank operates in Luton and Dunstable.

Areas of Operation:
Central Beds, Luton

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Turn2us

Turn2us

​Turn2us is a national charity that helps people in financial hardship gain access to welfare benefits, charitable grants and support services. They don't provide individual advice but they do have a list of advisors and funding in your local area if you need that.

Areas of Operation:
National

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Veterans UK

Veterans UK

0808 1914218
veterans-uk@mod.gov.uk

Veterans UK administers the armed forces pension schemes and compensation payments for those injured or bereaved through service. We also provide welfare support for veterans of any age, and their families through the Veterans Welfare Service and the Veterans UK helpline.

Areas of Operation:
National

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Wenta

Wenta

01438 310020
info@wenta.co.uk

The South East Midlands Start-up Programme, funded by the European Regional Development Fund, provides residents of Bedfordshire, Central Bedfordshire, Milton Keynes, Aylesbury Vale and Cherwell, Northampton, Corby, Daventry and Wellingborough with access to 12 hours of FREE support for small businesses and start-ups. This can be in the form of: - one-to-one business advice - webinars and workshops - access to business start-up services - business incubation workspace - specialist social enterprise support

Areas of Operation:
Bedford, Central Beds, Luton

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