Budget planner
Want to know how much it costs to run your home? Find out in minutes with our user-friendly budget planner.
Before you get started, make sure you’ve got the following information to hand:
- your income, i.e. earnings, benefits or pension
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any income from interest on your savings
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your partner’s income, including any benefits
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how much money you spend on any debt repayments
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your average household bills i.e. gas, electricity, food, internet, phone bills
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other regular outgoings, i.e. leisure activities
We recommend you have a copy of your bank statement to cross-check your figures.
Managing costs in your first Accent home
Moving into your first home with Accent is an exciting step, but it’s important to understand the costs involved in running a household.
From rent and service charges to utilities and council tax, knowing what to expect will help you plan and budget effectively.
If you don’t pay on time, you could lose your home
Paying your rent and service charges must be your main priority. If you don’t pay these charges, you could lose your home.
Plus, if you’re evicted from your home for rent arrears, this could affect your credit rating and your ability to secure credit in the future. It also reduces your chances of being offered alternative housing.
Understanding benefits and support
If you're unsure whether you can claim benefits to help with rent and service charges, we’re here to guide you. Depending on your household income, you may be eligible for Housing Benefit or the housing element of Universal Credit.
Household bills and costs
When moving into an Accent home, it’s important to be prepared for the range of bills and charges that come with managing a household. From council tax to utilities, and even optional services like TV subscriptions, planning ahead can help you stay on top of your finances.
Using price comparison websites
Price comparison sites compare the prices of goods and services from a range of providers, helping you choose the best and most affordable service for your household.
They exist for a wide variety of products services, including gas and electricity, bank accounts and insurance.
Don’t rely on a single site as you may find a better offer on a different website.
Opening a credit union account
Credit unions, much like banks, can provide you with savings accounts, current accounts, and loans. They’re also regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), meaning that they are also covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS).
However, unlike banks, they’re a form of co-operative, by members for members. They’re also regional, non-profit and tend to be smaller, which means they can be more accessible and easier to access. They might have lower minimum balance requirements, lower fees and more flexible loan offers.
We work with a number of credit unions, which help our customers find alternatives to traditional banks, building societies and payday lenders. If you’re interested in finding out more, search for your nearest credit union on findyourcreditunion.co.uk or contact us.
Get more money advice
If you need advice on money management or you think you may be entitled to more benefits than you are claiming, we’re here to help. Last year, we helped over 1200 of our residents, so get in touch now.
The friendly Accent team can help you with:
- claiming benefits you may be entitled to
- learning to budget
- supplying you with budgeting sheets
- prioritising getting out of debt
- accessing grants and funding
- referrals to specialist advice services
- reducing your spending
- reducing your utility bills
- additional budgeting help through budget sheets
- setting up a credit union account
- setting up a basic bank account
- finding furniture