FINANCIAL WELLBEING.

We know that money can be scary and serious, but taking a little time to learn about adult money stuff and planning ahead can actually minimise a lot of the anxiety surrounding it. In fact, you might find you gain a new sense of confidence as you realise that you’re able to help people close to you with this new-found knowledge!

The university has a Financial Wellbeing team who should be your first point of call if you need financial advice. They have some good guidance to help you with budgeting. They will also tell you if you qualify for any funds available to help students in financial difficulty. At the SU Advice Centre, we don’t have financial advisors who can help you with such topics, but we can help you with a few financial areas

At the SU Advice Centre, we can advise and support you in these particular areas:

Negotiating with landlords/agents
Setting up your utilities, problems with utilities companies
Council Tax advice
Some general budgeting/ financial planning advice
Signposting/referring you to specialist services or legal advisors
Providing information about benefits
Housing security deposit disputes
Consumer rights issues
Employment issues

If your case is particularly complex, then we will refer/signpost you to a free specialist or legal advisor.

There are lots of helpful websites, apps and organisations out there which you can use if the uni is closed or if you’re no longer a student. We’re happy to help you navigate them now, so you’re ready to fly solo after uni - just ask for help if you need it.

Which? - A great place to learn about money and get free independent advice.
Benefits Calculators - If you’re not a full-time student, see if you’re eligible for any state funds.
Turn2Us can advise you about financial help available after you graduate.

There are also a number of resources for students which give great advice about budgeting, savings and preparing for graduation. One of our favourites is Save the Student- check them out!

If you need help with your Student Finance, it's usually best to try and contact Student Finance England first to see what the problem is.

If you've been told by SFE that there is an issue with the information the university has provided them with, get in touch with the Student Administration team to ask for help.

If your loan is delayed and it is causing you significant financial difficulty, contact the Financial Wellbeing team as soon as possible to ask about short-term loans or grants to help.

While you’re at uni, the Financial Wellbeing team are happy to advise you to help you manage your debt. However, we understand that you may prefer to use an external service. We’re happy to refer you to one if you find it hard to make the first step alone.

External Help

If you ever find yourself in unmanageable debt or can see that you’re losing control of your finances, then please remember that this is the most common issue affecting UK residents today. Unfortunately, most people don’t seek expert help, but this is the best thing to do. See our links to free help:

We understand that people often feel embarrassed about having financial problems, but you will not be judged. Debt advisors are very sensitive and aware that anyone can find themselves in debt pretty much overnight. There is a way out of every debt and they can help you plot your path.

Want to speak to an advisor?

If you've already looked through our web pages and can't find the information you're after, and would like to discuss something face-to-face, it's easy to see an Advisor.

Drop-in

We hold weekly drop-in sessions both in person and online during term time. Check out our Events Calendar to find out when the next drop-in is - just use the "Advice" filter on the left-hand side of the page.

Email

Email us at advice@su.rhul.ac.uk.

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FINANCIAL WELLBEING.

Useful Resources

Student Finance

Debt Advice

External Help

Want to speak to an advisor?