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Money matters

As part of your pathway plan we will help you to understand how to manage your finances.  We can help you to:

  • open a bank account
  • formulate a budget plan
  • help you claim the correct benefits
  • provide you with information about the money you’re entitled to

What we do to support you financially

Our support includes:

  • access to your Junior ISA
  • an annual festival payment of £50.00
  • a gift for your birthday of £25.00 when you are 19 or 20 years of age, and £50.00 on your 18th and 21st
  • help to meet the extra ordinary costs of travel to maintain contact with family or previous carers, to promote relationships and reduce isolation
  • paying for your first adult passport or provisional driving licence, after age 18

Accommodation support

If you are aged 16 and 17, living in supported accommodation and unable to claim benefits, you will be offered a weekly allowance that is the same as state benefits. Wherever possible, we will pay this into your bank account.

Depending on when you turned 18, you are entitled to an allowance for setting up home – this could be either £2,000, £2,500 or £3,000. You can use this to pay for essential furniture and other items.

If you are living in Walsall we will provide you with an exemption so you do not have to pay council tax until you are 25. If you live outside of Walsall, we will pay your council tax for you until you are 25.

Support for apprentices and students

You may be able to get financial support of £1,200.00 a year direct from your school, college, or learning provider.

We will consider an extra payment to help with travel costs, books and equipment. Your personal advisor will advise you, and we’ll base this on individual need.

If you’re in further education and you have done particularly well, we will give you a £50.00 reward for demonstrated effort.

If you’re at university, we will:

  • provide a total bursary of £2,000.00
  • contribute to your living costs with a grant of £3,000.00 per year (paid weekly)
  • cover the cost of accommodation during vacation periods, up to £2,000.00 per year

This is in addition to your student finance.

You can find out more about student finance on the government’s website.

Welfare benefits

You may also be entitled to some welfare benefits.  The Department for Work and Pensions provides support for people who are looking for work or on a low income.  It includes:

  • universal credit
  • job seekers allowance
  • income support
  • employment support allowance

You can find out more about benefits on the government’s website.

Our Transition and Leaving Care Service has a relationship with the local Job Centre Plus (Department of Works and Pensions). This enables two-way communication between named staff there and a named personal advisor to help them to solve any benefits issues you may have.

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