Are you in debt?

Worried about money because of the coronavirus? Please read this guidance.

Are you finding it hard to pay your rent?

Affordable amounts

If you are in debt with your rent, you don’t have to pay what you owe all at once – we can work out a plan for you to pay us in affordable amounts.

But you must act quickly

If you don’t tell us you’re struggling, or don’t keep to an agreement to pay off the debt, you could lose your home.

Make an agreement to pay off your rent debt

Send a message to our rent team to arrange to talk to someone about a repayment agreement:

send a message to our rent team

Speak to our Money Matters team

Our Money Matters team can help you come up with an affordable plan to pay your rent, but that’s not all - they can also help you to do things like:

• get you the right benefits
• open a bank account (this helps your credit rating)
• manage your other bills

Contact the Money Matters team

Help from Manchester City Council

See Manchester City Council's 'Helping Hands' page for information on grants, money advice and support you can get to help make payments.

Help to budget

Working out a budget for yourself could help you get any money difficulties under control. For face-to-face budgeting advice, contact our Money Matters team or check out the EntitledTo budget calculator which can help you put one together yourself. 

Housing Benefit/Universal Credit

You could get help to pay some or all of your rent. Use the Manchester City Council website to find out how much you could get and make a benefit claim.

Not sure how to apply for benefit? Alan shows you how in these videos:

How to apply for housing benefit online using your mobile phone

How to apply for housing benefit online using a computer

Important

If something in your life changes after you've applied (e.g. if you move home, or you get a new job, or the size of your household changes etc.) it's important to tell the council straight away.

If you don't, it could mean that:

a/ you don't get as much benefit as you should or

b/ you get too much. If you get too much, the council will make you pay it back.

You can let the council know about any changes through their website.

Not sure how to report a change? Alan shows you how in these videos:

How to tell the council about a change in your circumstances using your mobile phone

How to tell the council about a change in your circumstances using a computer

You can find out more about what Universal Credit is on the government's website. 

Are you worried about Universal Credit? Need help getting to grips with everything? We can help: 

send a message to our rent team