As a care leaver, you may be able to get some financial support to help you live on your own, this will depend on your own specific circumstances. The type of care leaver status you have does impact on the type of support that you can access.
Financial Literacy
Managing your money can be challenging if it is not something that you have done before.
Your PA will support you with understanding your finances, including claiming universal credit, banking basics (opening accounts, using online banking, avoiding scams).
You are able to access more information via ‘Here for You’ offer at Wigan Life Centre South, on information relating to:
- Budgeting and managing monthly income and outgoings including how to pay bills Money management
- Saving, emergency funds, and long‑term planning
- Understanding payslips, tax, and National Insurance
- Understanding credit scores and how to build them safely
- Borrowing, debt, and how to avoid high‑risk lenders
- Benefits, Universal Credit, and entitlements Benefits and support
We also have more information about Money, Benefits and Debt on the Wigan Council Our Town Directory | Money, benefits and debt
Our Family Hubs also offer ‘All Things Money’ sessions at various locations. This can help you with:
- Universal Credit
- Child Benefit
- Limited Capability for Work/Work-Related Activity
- Applications& Appeals
- Missing or Stopped Payments
- Recoverable Hardship Payments
- Housing Benefit/ Discretionary Housing Payment
- Council Tax Support
There are no forms, no pressure, visit the Family Hub webpage Family Hub locations for more information.
Financial Support (dependent on care leaver status):
- If you are under 25 and living in Wigan then you will not need to pay council tax
- The leaving care team will help manage your First Homes grant
- We will pay for your first 12 months wifi when you move into your own property
- We will supply you with a TV license for the first 12 months of moving into your first home
- A child’s savings ISA account may have been created for you when you were in care, your PA can help find out about this
- We will give you a birthday allowance of £25
- You are also entitled to access a bus pass for across Greater Manchester up to the age of 25
- We will offer you the opportunity to have a block of 10 driving lessons to help you become more independent
- We will also support you to access the AA's driving theory test app (external link) for free, which helps care leavers to prepare themselves for their theory test. For more information contact your PA
We understand that at times you may need extra support and we will signpost you to voluntary organisations/charities that can provide food parcels and money for gas and electric.
Help with white goods
If you are open to the Leaving Care team, we can liaise with Pooles Domestics, a local company that we have had a relationship with for over 10 years, to source a package of white goods at a reduced cost for you (this includes washing machine, fridge freezer and cooker).
If you want to choose your own items, you are welcome to visit the shop in Platt Bridge and view the goods at a discounted price (goods are discounted due to being considered a ‘second’, so for example they may have a slight scratch on them). All items have a warranty and Pooles Domestics will make sure all items are in working order after delivery.
If an item stops working, Pooles Domestics will go out and try and resolve the problem at no extra cost.
Help with food and household grocery items
The Brick Food Community Shop (external link) is also available and operates a in the heart of Wigan at St Georges Church, Water Street. They are not a food bank, although they do sometimes provide emergency food. Their food community is laid out like a shop and members can choose their items for a small fee including fresh, refrigerated, frozen and long-life foods. If you need help with the small fee, please let your Personal Advisor know.
We also have more information on the Community Food Offer, on the Wigan Council Our Town Directory | Community food offer