Maximise your income

Check to see if you are getting all the money you are entitled to. There may be benefits available and you do not necessarily have to be out of work to claim them. See the benefit take-up and benefit advice section for useful contacts. Here, you can check to see if you are missing out on benefits and tax credits and find out where to go to seek advice.

Get specialist advice in dealing with debt problems

If you are having difficulties in dealing with debt advice problems no matter how bad things may seem, there are ways to manage your debts. Ignoring your debt problems will only store up more problems for you in the longer term. The sooner that you are able to contact people who you owe money to the more options you will have at your disposal for solving your financial problems. See the debt advice section for more details.

For more general information on budgeting and your finances, check out the directgov website or www.adviceguide.org.uk.

Pay your priority debts first - mortgage and rent arrears

Mortgage and rent payments are priority debts because if you do not pay these you could lose your home. If you are finding difficulties in paying your mortgage or keeping up with rent payments contact your lender/ bank as soon as possible to ensure that you have more options open. There are also many organisations that offer free and independent advice. See the housing advice section for further details.

Knowing where to go for advice and support

Businesses are feeling the effects of the recession more than most. A thriving business community is essential for North Yorkshire's continuing growth and development.

JobCentre Plus can help you by providing advice on job hunting and claiming benefit entitlements. You can telephone 0845 6060 234 for help with job searches, or telephone 0845 608 8550 for information on benefits. For advice on your rights if your job is at risk and support to help you get back to work go to the directgov website or www.adviceguide.org.uk.

JobCentre Plus also provides help to employers who are involved in redundancy programmes. You can telephone them on 0113 307 8221 for more information.

Gaining new skills

Gaining new skills can keep you motivated and increase your chance of finding a job. Many courses are low-cost or free to unemployed people. You can find out more by going to Learn Direct at www.learndirect.co.uk or by telephoning 0800 101 901 for more details.

You can also contact North Yorkshire County Council's adult learning service for information on a range of courses in your area.

What are we doing to help small businesses?

In the current economic downturn, North Yorkshire County Council has put in place arrangements to pay small and medium sized enterprises within ten days of receipt of invoices, where they request earlier payment because they are experiencing cash flow difficulties.

For further information and to apply, please download the  application form for ten day payment terms [48kb] [word] - this form can be completed off-line and submitted by email or in hard copy.

Advice on saving energy in the home and help with fuel bills

Are you struggling to pay your fuel bills? The home heat helpline is an independent free telephone service that offers help and advice to those struggling to pay their energy bills. The home heat helpline is available on 0800 336699 or by visiting the home heat helpline website.

Check to see how you can save energy in the home and reduce your fuel bills by contacting the Energy Saving Trust.  The Energy Saving Trust provides free, impartial advice for householders on home insulation, heating and heating controls and can let you know about the different types of grants and discounts available. You can contact them by telephone on 0800 512012 or by visiting the energy saving trust website.

Looking at the effects of the recession in North Yorkshire

While North Yorkshire businesses and residents are feeling the effects of the economic downturn, the County is still performing well compared to many areas of the country. The North Yorkshire economy is in a relatively strong position and recent changes should be seen in this context.

More information can be found on the Economic information and analysis page of our website.

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