We all make decisions about money every day, from small ones like choosing which snack to buy to bigger ones like where to find a place to live. Financial wellbeing can be defined as feeling secure and in control of your money, making the most of it in your daily life, dealing with the unanticipated, and heading for a healthy financial future.
Sometimes we can feel our financial wellbeing slipping away. The worry associated with this can have a negative effect on every aspect of our daily lives. The Staff Wellbeing Team is here to support you, whether that be by sourcing practical information on money savings, or offering advice and guidance on financial and mental resilience. We offer a range of resources to help you save, plan, and educate yourself to help keep your finances in check. Scroll down to see what support is offered through NUH and in the community! If you have any questions about our financial wellbeing support available, please email us at staffwellbeing@nuh.nhs.uk.
Click the blue bars below to see what financial support is on offer to you.
How to prioritise your financial wellbeing
Set your financial goals
A financial resolution is the perfect chance for you to come up with some financial goals to give you an idea of what you want to achieve, or end up with by the end of the year. This could be saving for a holiday, a new washing machine, an emergency fund, or your pension. Remember, if you don’t have a destination planned, it can make the journey much harder. credit.org/blog/financial-goals-examples/
Setting a budget
This can be a tool for managing your finances appropriately, helping you to stick to a spending habit and identify areas where you could save money or put it towards something more worthwhile. We recommend using something to track, whether it’s an app, website, or spreadsheet, so you can keep an eye on it to see how it's working out. www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/budgeting/budget-planner
Saving
Putting aside a portion of your income for savings can help build your wealth over time, whether it be in a savings account or piggy bank. There are minor and major things you can think about if you plan on growing your savings for different things. www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/savings/types-of-savings
Check-ins
Put some dates in your diary to check up on how you’re getting along with your resolutions. Try to review this throughout the year so you can plan ahead accordingly. This also gives you the opportunity to see whether you’re sticking to the goals you’ve set.
Further Support
For further details about the financial support you can get at NUH and in the community, take a look at your Financial Wellbeing Toolkit or our dedicated Financial Wellbeing page. These will help you find out about discounts, legal and financial advice, money-saving tips, state support, and much more!
Financial Wellbeing Support Across NUH
Employee Assistance Programme: Health Assured
Health Assured is an external, confidential helpline that is free for all staff and available 24/7. It can help with almost anything, as they have lots of professional advisors to help with mental health, finances, legal advice, and so much more! Give them a call for free at 0800 783 2808.
Financial Wellbeing Toolkit
Our team has put together a one-stop shop for sources of financial support. Find information for things like financial and legal advice, loan options, saving options, staff discounts, buy-and-sell Facebook groups, and so much more. Click here to open the Financial Wellbeing Toolkit!
Salary Finance: Affordable Loan Options
NUH has partnered with Salary Finance to bring you options, helping you care for your financial wellbeing. Through Salary Finance, you can get:
Affordable loans that are repaid through your salary 13.9% APR Representative (fixed)
Important: This is an option, not a recommendation. Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust does not benefit from offering this service, and all your communications will be with Salary Finance. Loan applications will be assessed to ensure the loan is appropriate and affordable for you. “Learn” content is for guidance and educational purposes only and is generic in nature. Salary Finance does not offer regulated financial advice. Please seek independent financial advice.
Financial education resources include a budget planner, a savings calculator and credit score checking.
Find out more at: home.salaryfinance.com/nuh .
Serve and Protect Credit Union
Similar to our Salary Finance service, with Serve + Protect, you can save and borrow with repayments from your pay. Serve and Protect Credit Union is a not-for-profit financial organisation that makes it easy for you to save with deductions from your pay while being available as an option to borrow from (loans subject to affordability and credit checks).
Not sure what a credit union is?
- Financial cooperative
- This means Serve and Protect are owned and run by their members, operating under the ethos of ‘People Helping People’.
- Exclusive membership
- Only some people can join Serve and Protect Credit Union. This includes employees of Nottingham University Hospitals.
- Not-for-profit organisation
- Profits are shared with members in the form of an annual dividend and reinvested back into the credit union.
Here to help you save, there if you need to borrow.
By saving with the credit union, you can play your part in improving the financial resilience of those who serve and protect, including your fellow colleagues!
Start your journey to financial resilience by becoming a member of the Serve and Protect Credit Union today. Learn more via their website below:
- Save: https://serveandprotectcu.co.uk/save
- Borrow: https://serveandprotectcu.co.uk/borrow
- Prepare: https://serveandprotectcu.co.uk/prepare
Travel to Work Discounts
NUH staff have access to greener and cheaper alternatives to driving, such as discounted tram, bus, and train travel, as well as a car share scheme. Find out more here: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/travel-to-work
Cycle 2 Work Scheme
Our amazing scheme can save you up to 47% off a new bike, allowing you to claim up to £2000. You have the choice of either a 9 or 12-month scheme. To find out when the scheme is next open, visit: https://www.nuh.nhs.uk/cycle2work-scheme
Eating on a Budget Seminar
Click here to watch our eating on a budget seminar.
In this seminar led by our Specialist Staff Wellbeing Dietitian, we will look at key factors to consider in relation to food shopping, meals, and planning, including considering options that can be more cost-effective but still nutritious. There will also be a focus on reducing food waste, which can make a significant difference to our consumer costs, as well as to the planet.
Cost-Effective Recipe Book
Our staff well-being specialist dietitian has put together a recipe book that is cost-efficient and nutritious. Lots of these recipes are suitable for batch cooking to help with meal prep before a busy week at work. To view the book, click here: recipe book.pdf [pdf] 905KB
The staff wellbeing team is here for you.
If you are experiencing any difficulties, the staff wellbeing team is here for you. We have seminars on mental health awareness, nutrition, menopause awareness and support, mindfulness sessions, and courses.
If you would like any information on how to attend these sessions, then please feel free to reach out to us by contacting us at staffwellbeing@nuh.nhs.uk
Financial Wellbeing Support outside of NUH
Ask Lion, Nottingham City Council
Communications toolkit: Communications Toolkit Cost of Living Campaign .pdf [pdf] 630KB
Cost of Living Booklet: Cost of Living Booklet 2022.pdf [pdf] 1MB
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice provides free and confidential financial advice on several issues, including tax, benefits, debt, discrimination, laws, healthcare, and education. www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
Notts Help Yourself
The Notts Help Yourself website provides residents of Nottingham with a list of services that are accessible to them. Some are free and can offer advice on several things, including financial help. Visit this web page to find out what financial support you can access in and around Nottingham. www.nottshelpyourself.org.uk/kb5/nottinghamshire/directory/home.page
Money Saving Expert: Financial Calcuators
To make it easier to get a rough idea of how much you'll get paid from benefits, Money Saving Expert has built a new calculator that gives an estimate of your personal increase. They also listed the actual unit rates and standing charges under the cap for each region. There is also a calculator, which you can use to check if you are entitled to any benefits. www.moneysavingexpert.com/family/benefits-check/. Please take note that if you are already receiving benefits, please contact an advisor before you take it any further. If you are not currently receiving any benefits, then please use the advice given.
Nottingham City Council Welfare Rights Service
- Resolve any emergency issues, i.e., bailiffs, court action.
- If you have at least one priority creditor (e.g., rent arrears, council tax arrears, court fine), we can advocate on your behalf by contacting your creditors to make repayment arrangements.
- If you have at least one priority creditor, we will complete a financial statement to assess your options and provide budgeting advice where appropriate.
- We can provide you with advice and information to help you decide on your best long-term options to resolve your debt problems, i.e., debt relief orders and bankruptcy, and help you make the applications.
Nottingham City Council has also produced information on how to set a budget, prioritise your bills, check your entitlements to benefits, open new bank accounts, and ways to reduce your expenditure. www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/
The Company Shop
The company shop is a store where surplus food from supermarkets is redistributed at discounted prices. You need a membership to access this store, which is free to all NHS staff.
The nearest store is Long Eaton, and you must apply for membership for free, and you can take someone with you too. www.companyshopgroup.co.uk/
The Uniform Project Nottingham
The Uniform Project is helping Parents, Schools, and communities in Nottingham to reduce clothing waste by upcycling school uniforms.
“We achieve this by collecting School uniform donations from schools throughout the year and releasing them back to the community for parents to upcycle and save money at the same time”.
The Unform Project was founded by a Nottingham mum called Emma and is supported by Councillor Audrey Dinnall, the Woven Churches, St. John's Church (Carrington), Himmah, and Sharewear to save school uniforms from landfills, helping save the planet. www.facebook.com/NottinghamUniform/
ASDA “Just Essentials” Range
Facing the cost-of-living crisis, Asda has released a “just essentials” range. This aims to give consumers the option of purchasing good-quality products at a lower price than branded products. This is on top of the 10% blue light card discount. https://groceries.asda.com/
Prices include:
• Fresh orange juice: 69p
• Bread: 39p
• Baked beans: 25p
• Coffee: 75p
• Apples: 90p
Money-help services across Nottingham
Advice Services (help with benefits and debt)
Advice on Nottingham services (please see the website for opening hours and full details, as each service varies):
http://advicenottingham.org.uk/get-help/
- Bestwood Advice: 0115 962 6519
- Citizens Advice: 0300 330 5457
- Clifton Advice: 0115 940 5551
- Nottingham Law Centre: 0115 978 7813
- Meadows Advice: 0115 986 0197
- St Ann’s Advice: 0115 950 6867, or Debt: 0115 908 1530
- Age UK Notts (pension-age benefits): 0115 844 0011
Notts and Lincs Credit Union (for lower-cost loans and for saving)
- Nottingham and Lincs Credit Union: 0115 828 3121
- https://nottsandlincscu.co.uk/
If you are a victim of a loan shark (an illegal money lender):
- Illegal Money Lending Team (national)
- To safely report a loan shark, call 0300 555 2222 (24/7) https://www.stoploansharks.co.uk/ (includes resources to download.)
(Training and awareness sessions are also available for staff and community groups.)
Affordable warmth and energy
- Nottingham Energy Partnership: 0115 985 9057
https://nottenergy.com/our-services/
- Nottingham City Homes
- Fuel debt advice is available at Bestwood Advice; Nottingham Law Centre; Meadows Advice, St Ann’s Advice.
Financial Capability and Learning About Money: Websites
- Money and Pension Services https://www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk/en
- Citizens Advice https://www.citizensadvice.org.uk/
- Money Saving Expert: https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/
- Most mainstream bank websites have tools for managing money.
Cheap Food projects:
- Nottingham People's Pantry: surplus food; pay a nominal amount for a big shop (as mentioned): https://nottinghampeoplespantry.org/
- Food Print supermarket in Sneinton
- https://nottinghampeoplespantry.org/
- Both of the above are open to anyone at all.
Hygiene/period products:
The Hygiene Bank (in city and county)
Discounts
Blue Light Card
Positives
• All NHS staff qualify.
• Provides a range of discounts from small and large companies across the UK.
• You can use thousands of discounts online.
• You can use discounts in store too with your card.
• A free app for better accessibility.
Negatives
• £5 set-up fee
Popular discounts available:
• ASDA: 10% off with the Asda Rewards app
• National Express 20%
• Three Mobile's £12 SIM-only plan
• Pure gym: 10% off and £0 joining fee
Headspace
Mindfulness and meditation headspace is offering free three-month Headspace Plus subscriptions to NHS staff who sign up using their NHS email account (see more info for which accounts are included). This offer is until March 2024.
If you've already signed up previously for a free three months, Headspace says you should be able to sign up again. Click here to access.
Unmind
Get unlimited access to amazing wellbeing resources for the next year until December 31, 2024. If you haven’t signed up already, use your NHS email account. Click here to access.
Too Good to Go
Too Good to Go is an app that aims to combat food waste. You are able to search by location for restaurants, supermarkets, and other local stores that are taking part, and you are able to purchase a ‘magic bag’ for a discounted price.
Positives
• Cheap: sometimes you can get a whole'magic bag’ for around £3.
• A lot of stores use the app.
• Easy and free to download
You can add your favourite places so they are easy to access.
You can turn on notifications to find out when places near you are giving away food.
Negatives
• It can be a bit of a lottery, as you will not know in advance what is in the bag. Places may not always have food to give away, so it isn’t a reliable option, and you do have to pay in advance via the app.
• The food is usually approaching its sell-by date on the day that you buy it; however, it will still be in good condition.
Preloved items
Pre-loved items
Vinted
Vinted is an online platform where you can buy or sell second-hand clothing. You can list clothing for free at whatever price you would like, and you can also shop safely and securely. It is a free app that is easy to install on your phone, and you can also access it via the internet.
Positives
• No bots: with other second-hand online platforms, it’s difficult to tell if what you’re buying is genuine. This platform is used only by individuals.
• No bidding: you can negotiate a price with the seller; however, there are no bidding wars with other shoppers! You can also ask the seller a question via a direct message.
Bundles: if you buy more than one thing from the seller’s page, you can usually get a good discount on the whole order.
• Buyer protection: raise a dispute via the team if anything goes wrong.
Negatives
• Some sellers may take a bit longer to post your items.
Click here to visit the website.
Depop
Like Vinted, Depop is an online platform where individuals can list their clothes for other people to buy. Click here to visit the website.
Facebook Marketplace
Facebook Marketplace is a great place to find preloved clothing and furniture that is being sold in your area. You can choose to collect it, or the individual who is selling it may deliver it to you.
Positives:
- It is free to set up and use alongside your Facebook account.
- Toggle the location and other filters.
Negatives
- You do have to create a Facebook account to use this.
Click here to visit the website.