Fair for You and Port Vale are teaming up to help you out
The cost-of-living crisis is making things really difficult right now for lots of us.
Port Vale FC and the Port Vale Foundation are pleased to be partnering with the social enterprise Fair for You - the team from Fair for You will be in the Staffordshire University FanZone ahead of the match against Exeter City on 13 April, and will be giving you a chance to win on the spot prizes.
Here’s everything you need to know about Fair for You and how it could support you and your family - and they’ve provided some top tips on improving your financial situation.
Affordable loans to smooth out your income
Could an interest-free loan help you and your family? Fair for You operates the Iceland Food Club, offering zero interest loans of between £25 and £100 to spend at Iceland. These are available six times a year, timed to coincide with school holidays because this is a time when many of you may feel the pinch. You can apply for your first loan at any time at fairforyou.co.uk/food-club-card
Alongside the Iceland Food Club, Fair for You can help you to buy a range of household items from retailers including Argos, Dunelm, Carpetright, Whirlpool and more. It is a social lender, so everything it does is in its customer’s best interests. They may be able to lend to you even if your credit score may have marked you down for your past finances, so so long as you can afford to make repayments over the coming months.
More tips and tricks
Here are six top tips from Fair for You to help you keep on top of your finances…
1. Check you’re not missing out on extra benefits. Each year in the UK, an estimated £18.7bn of benefits go unclaimed because people don’t realise what they could claim. Don’t let that be you! Fair for You suggests using the Better Off Calculator from Policy in Practice - find it on our website at fairforyou.co.uk/dealing-with-debt
2. See if there’s a grant you could get. You could be missing out on money which you never have to pay back. Use the Grants Search tool, created by the charity Turn2us, to find grants relevant to your situation: grants-search.turn2us.org.uk
3. Find a free debt adviser. If you’re in debt, it can be hard to know what to do. There are lots of free debt advice services across the UK - the Money and Pensions Service has a list of them: bit.ly/debt-advice-pvfc
4. Help from energy providers. Some energy suppliers are able to offer grants to customers who are finding it hard to pay. The main ones are listed on the website of the debt charity StepChange: bit.ly/energy-bills-pvfc The Fuel Bank Foundation also has tips for what to do if you have a pre-payment meter and are struggling to pay - go to fuelbankfoundation.org/individuals
5. Stop scammers in their tracks. One of the best ways to look after your money is protecting yourself against online scams. If you’re less confident with using the internet and staying safe, have a look at learnmyway.com. Even if you think you know how to stay safe online, it's worth spending five minutes checking out the Government's Cyber Aware campaign at ncsc.gov.uk/cyberaware/
…and finally - watch out, loan sharks about!
A study last year estimated that more than three million Brits have used a loan shark in the past three years, and warned that these illegal lenders had become part of the “fabric” of many areas.
According to the Stop Loan Sharks campaign, borrowers who are concerned that they might be borrowing from a loan shark should ask the following questions:
● Did they offer you a cash loan?
● Did they not give you paperwork?
● Did they add huge amounts of interest or APR to your loan?
● Have they threatened you?
● Are you scared of people finding out?
● Have they taken your bank card, benefit card, passport, watch or other valuables from you? Uma Cresswell, a director of Fair for You and board member of the EFL Trust, the charity representing the 72 EFL teams, says: “We’re delighted that Port Vale’s commitment to its community means it is using the power of football to raise awareness of the issues of financial exclusion and illegal lending issue.
“Fair for You’s team cares deeply about responsible lending and giving families a helping hand to help them sort out their finances, make their home a comfortable place and improve their health and diet.”
Fair for You T&Cs apply, subject to status and affordability. Credit provided by Fair for You Enterprise CIC, Unit 8 Elm Court Meriden Business Park, Copse Drive, Coventry, England, CV5 9RG. Authorised and Regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, FRN 719715
