Christmas can be a busy and expensive time of year at the best of times. Currently, we are seeing the cost of living go up, from food to fuel, and many of our residents are also being impacted by reductions in universal credit payments.
At Lewisham Homes, we are committed to supporting residents who experience money worries. Our welfare benefits team may be able to offer support with ensuring you are receiving all the benefits you are entitled to, prioritising your debt and planning a budget you can stick to. They can also refer you to specialist debt advice services to resolve serious debt issues. Visit our information page to find out more.
While we are doing all we can to help our customers, we recognise there may be other debts that you need help and advice with. There is free and independent debt advice available from MoneyHelper via: https://adviser.moneyhelper.org.uk
To protect the roof over your head, it is important to keep paying your rent. If you think you may miss a payment, please let us know in advance by contacting our income team at rent@lewishamhomes.org.uk or 0800 028 2 028 so we can help.
Christmas closures
It’s also worth thinking about whether the way you usually make payments will be affected by our Christmas closures, as our offices will be shut from 3pm on Friday 24 December until 9am on Tuesday 4 January.
If you want to make a rent payment during this time, you can pay online or call our automated line on 0208 690 8707, which is open 24/7, 365 days a year. You will be able to pay by credit or debit card, and all you need is your 10 digit reference number. You can also check your balance by sending a text with the letters BAL followed by your 10 digit reference number.
Planning ahead
To help cover the cost of Christmas next year, it’s a good idea to start saving a few months in advance (it’s never too early to start planning!). Lewisham Plus Credit Union offer our residents savings accounts that are simple to use and let you save small amounts. Call them on 0208 778 4738 or visit www.pluscu.co.uk to find out more.
