Financial Wellbeing
Below are links to sources that could help support your financial wellbeing.
University Support
- Debt and Financial Stress Support – Care First offers practical support and guidance with difficulties relating to Debt and other financial problems and access emotional support when managing these situations.
- Credit Union - Through Cambrian Credit Union you can access saving and loans – Bangor University works in partnership with Cambrian to allow you to pay into savings accounts or make loan repayments through payroll. This is operated in the strictest confidence and the Payroll team will not have knowledge of whether the payment each month is going towards either a loan or towards saving for the future.
- My Advantages Staff Discount Scheme and Discounts on University facilities e.g. Brailsford provide opportunities for staff to make savings and stretch their income further
- Financial Wellbeing Workshops - In November and December we will be offering staff the opportunity to attend a two-part training course on financial awareness and resilience. Use the HR Staff Development Schedule to book your place. Numbers on these sessions are limited.
- The Arriva Employer Travel Club – enables staff to access discounted bus travel on Arriva bus routes. Staff members are able to access their discounted ticket on-line, pay directly by direct debit and the ticket is sent to the home address. There is no minimum contract period, and the scheme also allows free travel for up to two children on weekends and bank holidays. Click here for more information.
Practical Support to Manage Finances and Financial Difficulties
If you need more information on managing finances or are in the middle of trying to resolve financial difficulties, further support is available through a variety of external services.
These include:
MoneyHelper
This accessible, fully bilingual website provides free, impartial help that’s quick to find, easy to use and backed by government. MoneyHelper / HelpwrArian is helping people to clear their debts, reduce spending and make the most of their income.
Money Saving Expert Site
You can access guidance and support on managing your money via MoneySavingExpert.com
Martin Lewis's free site saves you money. Beat the system on credit cards, shopping, special offers, mortgages, council tax, interest rate payments and more. You can also receive the latest deals, guides, tips 'n' tricks directly from Martin Lewis and the MSE team by signing up for a weekly email.
Debt Support
Breathing Space Scheme
Did you could get up to 60 days' respite from interest, fees, and court action to reduce stress and give you time to deal with your debts.
Breathing Space, officially called the Debt Respite Scheme, is a government scheme which could help relieve some of the pressure and stress caused by being in debt.
Step Change
Step Change has a team of debt experts that help hundreds of thousands of people a year to deal with their debt problems. They offer free, flexible debt advice that is based on a comprehensive assessment of your situation.
Planning for the Future
Financial Wellbeing isn’t just about managing and thinking about the now, it’s about building resilience and taking action now to plan for our financial futures.
The University offers support through various offerings to help you with planning for the future:
- Pensions Schemes (USS, BUPAS and NEST) and Employer Contributions to these to enhance individual pension pots and the additional benefits offered by these schemes around ill-health, spouse, child pensions.
- Pre-Retirement Planning Workshops to help you start to think about the future and look at the practical and financial considerations needed. Check the HR Staff Development Calendar for upcoming date.
- Free Will Writing Service - Kennedy Burchill offer Bangor University Staff access to a free, remote will writing service as part of your personal financial planning.