Stepping up to raise a child can be expensive, and money worries are common for kinship carers. Find out what financial support and benefits are available to you.
Managing debt as a kinship carer
Looking after children can be expensive. The additional costs of supporting a child may mean you find yourself in debt, or you may have already been in debt. Here’s how to manage debt, and get financial help, as a kinship carer.
This advice applies to: England and Wales
Being a kinship carer can be tough, and stressing about money should be the least of your worries. Sadly, having debt problems is a common reason kinship carers contact our advice line. But there is help and support available.
Why dealing with debt matters
It’s tempting to bury your head in the sand and hope the debt will go away. The fact is that not dealing with debt, such as your rent, mortgage, utility bills or council tax, can have major consequences.
Credit debt, such as bank loans, credit cards and overdrafts will continue to increase with interest and charges added if you cannot keep up with the repayments.
But it’s important not to panic. There is always a solution.
There are different options for improving the situation. The right option for you will depend on your circumstances and what debts you have.
Speak with one of our advisers, who will try to help you find a suitable solution to your debt problem.
Get specialist support
You may find that you need more specialist support to help manage your debt. Below are national organisations offering free debt advice and information.
Citizens Advice is a national charity, offering specialist advice for England, Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. They have advice relating to debt on their website and you can call their debt helpline on 0800 240 4420. They are open from 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9.30am to 1pm Saturday. You can also speak to them via their online chat service.
The National Debtline is a free debt service, run by the national charity Money Advice Trust. As well as lots of helpful information on their website, you can call them on 0808 808 4000, Monday to Friday from 9am to 8pm and 9.30am to 1pm Saturday. You can also speak to them via their online chat service or use their Digital Advice tool.
StepChange Debt Charity offers a free Debt Remedy tool that can help find the best debt solution for your situation. Or if you prefer to speak with someone, you can call their helpline on 0800 138 1111, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 2pm.
PayPlan is a family-owned company offering free debt help and advice, including free Debt Management Plans that can help you improve your situation. Call their helpline on 0800 316 1833, Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm.
Related advice and information
Childcare costs can be expensive. As a kinship carer, you may be entitled to financial support to help cover the cost of childcare.
Independent information, support and advice for you. Because, we know kinship care is complex and confusing. Use Kinship Compass to discover what support is available to you, both locally and nationally, to help you navigate your kinship journey.
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