South West: MoneyHelper SW - Family and Care finances

 

Big money decisions often need to be made when looking after family members, expecting a baby, or you’ve got family problems like illness, divorce, or bereavement.

MoneyHelper have got easy-to-understand guides to help you. MoneyHelper from the Government’s Money and Pensions Service exists to help anyone across the South West with free, independent, and impartial money and pensions guidance.

Please click here to read these guides online

Information provided by Colerne & Lyneham HIVE

Money Saving Central: Places Kids Eat Free (or for £1) Easter

Here's our full list of Kids Eat Free (or for £1) restaurants this Easter: www.moneysavingcentral.co.uk/kids-eat-free

Wales: Transformative new childcare support will save Defence families up to £6000 a year

A new Defence scheme to transform support for forces families with young children will be rolled out across Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland from September 2026, the Defence Secretary announced on 20th March 2026.

This major boost for UK Armed Forces families will save forces families living in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland up to £6,000 per year for each child and will help with the cost of living as they serve to protect the nation.

It will be delivered through the Ministry of Defence’s existing Early Years childcare reimbursement scheme and will ensure that eligible working UK Armed Forces families receive the same Government funded childcare support as forces families in England.

This government promised to renew the nation’s contract with those who serve, and this support is another major step to deliver on that pledge. Childcare is cited as one of several factors affecting Armed Forces retention and morale and this government is on a mission to fix the recruitment crisis. The announcement was made by Defence Secretary John Healey MP on a visit to meet families at Dreghorn Barracks, Edinburgh.

To read the whole article on the .Gov website: Transformative new childcare support will save Defence families up to £6000 a year

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

Department for Work and Pensions (including Jobcentre Plus) arrangements over Easter

Department for Work and Pensions (including Jobcentre Plus) arrangements are different over Easter in England, Scotland and Wales:

On Friday 3 April offices and phone lines are closed
On Monday 6 April offices and phone lines are closed

From Tuesday 7 April offices and phone lines are open as usual

To make sure people get their payment on a day when our offices are open, arrangements have been made to make some payments early.

If the expected payment date is Friday 3 April or Monday 6 April, then benefits will be on Thursday 2 April.

If the expected payment date is not shown, customers will get their money on their usual payment date.

Serve and Protect Credit Union - Latest Free Financial Educational Webinars

Green Living: Simple Eco-Friendly Tips to Lower Your Bills 🌍💸 (New Title for 2026)

Eco-friendly savings webinar | April and May 2026 Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE

Green Living: Simple Eco-Friendly Tips to Lower Your Bills | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Budgeting 101 📝 📢

Budgeting explained webinar | April and May 2026 Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE 👇

Budgeting 101: Take Control of Your Money | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Saving Made Simple 💷✅

Tips to boost savings webinar | April and May 2026 Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE 👇

Saving Made Simple: Practical Habits to Boost Your Savings | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Credit Score 101 🚀📊

Tips to boost your score webinar | April and May 2026 Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE 👇

Credit Score 101: Tips to Boost Your Score | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Financial Resilience: Ready When it Matters (New Title for 2026) ☔🛡️

Preparing for the unexpected webinar | April and May Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE 👇

Financial Resilience: Ready When it Matters | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Borrow Smarter: Tips to Strengthen Your Loan Application 🔍💸 (New Title for 2026)

Key things to know webinar | April and May Dates Released | Limited Availability | Learn more and register for FREE 👇

Borrow Smarter: Tips to Strengthen Your Loan Application | Serve and Protect Credit Union

Serve & Protect Credit Union: Resources to improve financial wellbeing

Employees can now access a new Fixed Saver through Serve and Protect.

• Key points:Fixed interest rate of 4% AER/gross
• Guaranteed return after 12 months
• FSCS protection up to £120,000

🔗 Take a look and decide if it's right for you here: sandpcu.co.uk/fs12

Upcoming webinars:

Our free weekly webinars help to manage money with confidence. With tips to save smarter, boost your credit score, and prepare for emergencies.

Click here to find out more: Webinars - Serve & Protect

Quick Links & Resources

Financial Tools: 

Budget Planner 🔗
Savings Calculator 🔗
Loan Calculator 🔗
Benefits Calculator 🔗

Our Services: 

Savings Accounts 🔗
Loan Products 🔗
Community Fund 🔗
Financial Webinars 🔗

Hampshire: Hampshire County Council money worries

Please click on the link below to access the HCC website that provides vital information for families who may be struggling due to the cost of living crisis with lots of useful links.

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Department for Work & Pensions: Latest News Update

Department for Work & Pensions: Latest News Update

Mobile Jobcentres

Jobseekers are to benefit from the roll-out of mobile jobs vans across Great Britain.

Following hugely successful pilots in the Scottish Highlands, North and Mid Wales and Greater Manchester, the number of Jobcentres on Wheels will provide enhanced support in six new areas, with a view to explore rolling out the scheme more extensively after testing its impact.

The vans will take jobcentre staff on the road to communities with some of the highest rates of unemployment where support is needed most. Vans will park up outside family hubs, leisure centres, supermarkets, local events and football matches to make taking that first step towards work as easy as possible.

Once on board, people can meet with one of the DWP’s experienced work coaches who will who offer expert support with job searching and training opportunities.

They can also provide information to those with health conditions or disabilities and for accessing childcare costs.

As well as existing customers, the service is open and accessible to all members of the public and forms part of the government’s wider plans to Get Britain Working, kickstart economic growth and give more opportunities for people to get on in their career.

Read the full press release

Aldershot: Army Welfare Service Family Trip to London 9th April 2026 Pick up at 0900hrs Aldershot Garrison Hub

 

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub

Serve & Protect Credit Union – Upcoming March Webinars

 

Serve & Protect Credit Union – Upcoming March Webinars:

Green Living: Simple Eco-Friendly Tips to Lower Your Bills
Date: 05 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Tips for living a greener life to save money and protect the planet!

Financial Resilience: Ready When it Matters
Date: 11 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Understand why financial resilience matters and hear some simple, practical tips to help you improve it.

Budgeting 101: Take Control of Your Money
Date: 12 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: How to create a budget that meets your short and long-term financial goals, plus tips to cut your spending.

Saving Made Simple: Practical Habits to Boost Your Savings
Date: 18 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Explore 10 practical savings methods that anyone can apply to build a healthy savings cushion.

Credit Score 101: Tips to Boost Your Score
Date: 19 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Understand the importance of looking after your credit, plus actionable tips to improve yours.

Best Kept Secret in Finance: The Credit Union Difference
Date: 25 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Learn what makes credit unions different from traditional financial institutions and how they benefit communities worldwide.

Borrow Smarter: Tips to Strengthen Your Loan Application
Date: 26 March 2026
Time: 12:00 PM – 13:00 PM
What to Expect: Understand what happens throughout the journey of a loan application, some of the key factors lenders evaluate, and what to do before you apply.

Register for free here: https://sandpcu.co.uk/hs-webinars

Motorfinity: February Updates

This month, Motorfinity continue to bring fantastic savings across a wide range of brand-new cars, with exclusive discounts available to the Armed Forces Community, Veterans and their families.

Whether you’re looking for something stylish, practical, or compact for city driving, Motorfinity have some popular favourites available at outstanding prices, including the Audi A3 Sportback, Ford Puma Hatchback, and Toyota Aygo X Hatchback — plus many more from most major manufacturers.

Why Choose Motorfinity?

• Save an average of £7,400 on a brand-new car
• Exclusive discounts across most major manufacturers, covering EVs, hybrids, and petrol/diesel options
• We offer a wide range of electric vehicles to suit different budgets, from affordable everyday EVs to premium electric models
• Low-rate HP/PCP finance options and competitive leasing on new cars, designed to suit your needs
• 5-star rated customer service, with friendly experts who handle everything for you
• Immediate family member discounts with participating manufacturers

Our experienced team takes the hassle out of car buying, whether you’re purchasing outright, financing, or choosing a leasing option — so you can focus on what matters most, knowing you’ve secured a great deal. Please note - our discounts are not part of any salary sacrifice schemes.

Useful Guides for Armed Forces and Veterans

To help you make informed decisions, we’ve also created helpful guides covering key topics:A day in the life of a community health worker blog and video - Motorfinity | A day in the life of a community health worker
Which essential vehicle safety features should you consider? - Which essential vehicle safety features should you consider?
Electric Car Grant vehicle eligibility: How EVs have become more affordable - Electric Car Grant vehicle eligibility: how EVs have become more affordable
Car Lease vs Purchase: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing Your Next Car - Car lease vs purchase: the ultimate guide to choosing your next car
Driving smarter starts now: Motorfinity is thrilled to announce smart car partnership - Driving smarter starts now: Motorfinity is thrilled to announce smart car partnership

If you’re considering a new car this year, Motorfinity is here to help every step of the way.

Get Started Today

📞 Call: 01636 558 885
🌐 Visit: https://motorfinity.uk//?source=outreach&utm_source=outreach&utm_medium=newsletter&utm_campaign=feb

Richmond: The Richmond Banking Hub

 

The Richmond banking hub is located at 20 King Street, DL10 4HP
Open Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.

The hub offers a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks can carry out regular cash transactions, whenever it's open.

A community banker service is also available where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated issues on allocated days:

Community Banker availability
Mon:
NatWest
Tue:
Lloyds
Wed:
HSBC
Thu:
Barclays
Fri:
Halifax

Motorfinity: New car and car leasing offers for the Armed Forces

For further Information please Click Here 

First Defence Finance: Earn £5 for every friend you refer to First Defence Finance this February

Earn £5 for every friend you refer to First Defence Finance this February using your unique link.

1. Log in & get your unique link
2. Share it with anyone who could benefit from joining our credit union.
3. Ask them to choose “Family, friend, or colleague” when the sign-up form asks how they heard about us.
4. Get £5 for you and £5 for your friends after every successful referral.

There’s no limit.* Invite one friend or ten and watch your savings grow!

Log in on their app to generate your link: bit.ly/GenerateYourLink

Or on their website: www.firstdefencefinance.co.uk/log-in

*Terms and conditions apply. Over 18's only. First Defence Finance is a trading name of Plane Saver Credit Union Ltd. Plane Saver Credit Union is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority. Firm Ref: 213609. All deposits are protected under the Financial Services Compensation Scheme for up to £120,000. Find the full terms and conditions on our website: www.firstdefencefinance.co.uk/refer-a-friend 

Serve & Protect Credit Union: February webinars and free resources

Valentine's Day is almost here, but don't forget to show your finances some love too!

The MOD’s partnership with Serve and Protect Credit Union gives you access to a range of useful financial tools. You could:

• Start saving automatically from your wages
• Register for a free webinar to boost your money skills
• Start tracking your spending with their handy budget planner

Learn More: https://sandpcu.co.uk/hs-home

February Webinars:

Saving Made Simple: Practical Tips to Boost your Savings
Dates: Wednesday 18th February
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
What to Expect: Explore 10 practical savings methods to build a healthy savings cushion.
Register Here

Budgeting 101: Take Control of Your Money
Dates: Thursday 19th February
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
What to Expect: How to create a budget that meets your goals, with tips to cut spending.
Register Here

The Road to Financial Resilience: Preparing for the Unexpected
Date: Monday 23rd February
Time: 12:00 PM – 01:00 PM
What to Expect: Explore why financial resilience matters and simple, practical tips to improve it.
Register Here

Credit Score 101: Tips to Boost Your Score
Dates: Tuesday 24th February
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
What to Expect: Understand the importance of looking after your credit score, with tips to improve it.
Register Here

Before You Borrow: Key Things to Know
Date: Thursday 26th February
Time: 12:00 PM – 12:45 PM
What to Expect: Understand the key factors lenders may evaluate, with tips to consider before applying.
Register Here

Tayport: Become a Home Budget Hero: 5 weeks to spending smarter with Fife Council Thursdays 26th Feb to 28th March at the Larick Centre

click on image to enlarge 

Booking essential, book using QR code or email caroline.berry@fife.gov.uk

Information provided by Leuchars HIVE

Celebrating ten years of Joining Forces: building financial resilience

Celebrating ten-years of Joining Forces: building financial resilience

A decade of partnership between three leading credit unions has helped thousands of Defence people save, borrow responsibly and build financial resilience.

On Monday 19 January, at the Palace of Westminster, guests celebrated the tenth anniversary of Joining Forces – a collaboration consisting of Serve & Protect, First Defence Finance, and Forces Finance (part of London Mutual Credit Union), working with the MOD to offer tailored financial services for Defence people.

The anniversary reception brought together staff and directors from the credit unions, uniformed and civilian Defence personnel, and representatives from trade bodies, armed forces charities and financial organisations.

Credit unions differ from traditional banks. They operate as not-for-profit financial cooperatives, owned and run for their members’ benefit. Any surplus is returned to members through competitive dividend rates on savings or used to help improve the range of products and services available, rather than being distributed to external shareholders.

Joining Force 10 Year Anniversary Event Highlights - (MODNET access)

JFCU 10 Year Anniversay Video - (non MODNET access)

A decade of impact

Wiltshire: Family and Community Learning - Budgeting for Work Online Course - Monday 2nd March

Information provided by South West HIVE Hub 

Chepstow: Benthyg Chepstow (Chepstow Library of Things)

Benthyg Monmouthshire:

Your local library of things!

The aim of a library of things is to allow you to:

• borrow things you need but don't own, at low cost, saving money and space in your home
• donate things you own but don't need, contributing to national waste reduction targets
• meet to share knowledge and skills with others, increasing community resilience

What does Benthyg mean?

Benthyg (pronounced ben-thig) is a Welsh word meaning borrow or lend.

Benthyg Chepstow Branch contact details:

Chepstow at Chepstow Library and Hub, Manor Way, NP16 5HZ
Contact us: benthygchepstow@gmail.com
Open - Saturdays 10.30 - 11.30 am

For more information please visit the website here

Information provided by Wales HIVE Hub.

Hampshire: Forces Connect South East

Forces Connect South East

Hampshire County Council is proud to be part of Forces Connect South East

Forces Connect South East is a cross border partnership comprising Hampshire, Surrey, Kent, East Sussex and West Sussex County Councils, Brighton and Hove, Medway Councils and Sussex NHS.

It is a two-year Ministry of Defence Armed Forces Covenant Funded Programme aimed at making it easier for servicemen and women and their families, as well as reservists and veterans, to access public sector services including healthcare, housing, schools, financial advice and support to find jobs.

Click HERE for more information.

Information provided by South East HIVE Hub.