Don’t miss out on up to £1,331 a year in Child Benefit
Are you a parent or carer who doesn’t claim Child Benefit, or has opted out of payments because of the High Income Child Benefit Charge?
The amount you can earn before you need to start paying the charge has increased from £50,000 to £60,000. If you and your partner both have an adjusted net income of less than £60,000, you no longer have to pay the charge.
If you or your partner have an adjusted net income between £60,000 and £80,000 it can still be worth your while financially to claim, so it’s worth checking what you would get. Child Benefit also makes sure you:
- receive National Insurance credits which count towards your State Pension
- make sure your child automatically gets a National Insurance number when they’re 16-years-old
Claiming on the HMRC app or online is quick and easy.
If you already claim but have opted out of payments and would like to restart these, you don’t need to claim again – the parent or carer that originally claimed can simply opt back in quickly and easily through the app or online. You can check the Child Benefit tax calculator to find out more.
Free energy advice for you
Citizens Advice Wokingham can offer you free energy advice. They can help if you are:
- struggling to pay your bills
- in debt to your energy supplier
- having problems with your supplier
- getting grants to make your home warmer
- worried about carbon monoxide poisoning
For more information or to book an appointment, contact the Energy Advice team on 0808 278 7958 or email energyadvice@cawokingham.org.uk.
If you’re struggling with debt you can get free, confidential and independent advice on dealing with debt problems. You can also use the Money Helper website to find more free debt advice services
If you’re married you could save on tax
Marriage Allowance lets you transfer £1,260 of your Personal tax Allowance to your husband, wife or civil partner.
This could reduce your tax by up to £252 in the tax year (6 April to 5 April the next year).
To benefit as a couple, the lower earner must normally have an income below their Personal Allowance - this is usually £12,570.
You can calculate how much tax you could save as a couple on the Government website.
You can backdate your claim to include any tax year since 5 April 2020 that you were eligible for Marriage Allowance.
Struggling with money? Budgeting tool can help
Citizens Advice Wokingham’s budgeting tool can help you manage your money.
If you’re struggling at the start of 2025 the free budget planner, which is anonymous, can support you to get your finances organised.
You’ll need your financial information to hand to use the tool. Don’t forget you can also use Citizens Advice calculator to see how to maximise your income.
If you're over State Pension age (66 or above), you could qualify for Pension Credit, which is worth more than £4,200 per year on average. You can check if you're eligible before applying, which is quick and straightforward
Free mum and baby yoga sessions from Sport in Mind
A weekly yoga session for mums and babies is run at Finchampstead Children's Centre by the mental health charity Sport in Mind.
Join in these fun, free and friendly sessions on Wednesday from 11.30am to 12.30pm.
Sessions involve light movement and are for mums experiencing low mood, isolation, loneliness or difficulties with their mental health.
You can find out more about the activities run by Sport in Mind online and if you want to know more, send them an email.
Get help with food if you're struggling
There are a number of local options if you need help with food, open across the borough on most days of the week.
SHARE Wokingham offers fresh produce, like bread and vegetables, for those who need it. These are surplus stock from local supermarkets and food suppliers.
There are also foodbanks which provide emergency food and support to people locally. You'll usually need a referral to visit.
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