Money Management and Financial Planning

We're here to help

Now, more than ever, we know managing your finances has never been more important to our day-to-day lives. And knowing how to manage and budget your money well can help you make a real difference to handling your finances, as well as give you peace of mind knowing how you're spending your money.

On this page you can find help and advice for your money worries, whether that’s with us or an independent organisation, as well as find financial support for your circumstances, or help if you’re struggling making payments with one of our products.

If you’re a Co-operative Bank customer that is struggling with your finances, we’re here for you.
If you’re looking for advice, support and other useful information, you can find that here.

I’m a Co-operative Bank customer and I need support

Our customers are at the heart of everything we do; that’s why we’re always happy to listen to you and support you, no matter what money worries you may have.

Whatever your financial circumstances talking to us won’t show up on your credit file, so these conversations will always be kept confidential as we work together to find a way to help you.

Managing day-to-day spending

If you're worried about bills or struggling to make payments, give us a call and we’ll try and help you work out a budget and offer support based on your individual circumstances.

We're always happy to listen to you, however big or small the problem is. Call us on 03457 212 212 (Call charges apply). Lines are open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, and 9am to 5pm on Saturdays.

Before you call us, you’ll need:

Details of your monthly income, such as a payslip
Details of your monthly outgoings including all bills and expenses.

Find out more about what to expect when you call our support team.

Debt and money worries support

If you’re struggling with debt or have money worries, you can find advice and support.

Find information and guidance to do with: 

Help and advice on the rising cost of living
Support if you're experiencing debt or a major life event
Spotting the signs and getting help if you're experiencing financial and economic abuse
What to do if you or a loved one are experiencing harm as a result of gambling.

Find independent services that can help

Credit card and loan repayment support

Here you can find advice and support if you’re an existing customer who has taken out a loan or credit card with us.

We can support you if:

You have a credit card and want to understand how our charges work
Try our credit card repayment calculator to review how long it may take to pay your balance off
You’re in persistent debt (long-term credit card debt), or you want to learn more about continuous debt
You're having trouble making payments to a credit card, loan or overdraft you have with us
You’re struggling to pay back your loan with us.

Mortgage support

We know a change in circumstances can affect your ability to pay your mortgage; such as health issues, a major life event, or struggling with the increase in your bills.

If you’re an existing customer and have a mortgage with us, speak to us if you’re concerned about paying for your mortgage, no matter what the reason.

Learn more about the support we offer

Experiencing a major life event?

If you’re experiencing a major life event, such as:

A recent death that’s affecting your wellbeing
Going through a divorce or separation
Dealing with an illness
Redundancy or change in job circumstance
Maternity or paternity leave
Retirement
Financial or economic abuse.

We know the impact this can have on your life and understand you may require additional support from us during this difficult time. We'll always treat you as an individual, taking the time to understand your circumstances.

Find out how we can help with a major life event

Hospice UK Gold Compassionate Customer Care Award

Managing costs by borrowing?

If you’re thinking about borrowing money, you need to consider how you’re going to pay it back, as well as the costs involved. To help you understand a bit more about different borrowing options, you can check out our guide on how credit cards work, and our comparison of credit cards and personal loans.

Help and advice with the rising cost of living

In 2021, the UK started to feel the significant rising costs of inflation on consumer goods; which means households are having to pay higher prices for every day expenses, such as energy bills, fuel, and food.

These rising costs have affected many of us, leaving people with less disposable income, and under more financial strain to stretch their money further.

In the articles below, you can find out what support’s available and other useful resources that might help you if you’re feeling the effects of the rising cost of living.

Worried about rising energy bills? Find out what support is available

In this guide, you can find support services and financial schemes that might be able to help you with rising energy bills.

Find support for rising energy bills

How to get your finances back on track

If you’ve found yourself in financial difficulty and have questions about what to do next, this article gives you advice on the best steps to take.

Read how to get your finances back on track

10 money saving challenges to try

To make saving easier and more enjoyable, we've put together a list of 10 money-saving challenges designed for those who find it tough to save, helping you get financially fit in a fun way.

Explore and try out 10 popular money-saving challenges

What is the 50/30/20 budgeting rule?

Learn how this handy budgeting method that can help you manage your money on a monthly basis.

Read about the 50/30/20 budgeting rule

Help and advice with debt and major life events

We know there’s often a stigma around debt — but it’s nothing to be ashamed of. Life can be unpredictable, and often things can get out of control with your finances before you even realise. In February 2023, our reports shown 51% of our customers had a debt issue of some kind.

Talking about your debt can help you find the right support for your particular circumstances. So if you’re currently experiencing debt and are feeling overwhelmed and need support, we’re here to help.

Ways to manage debt

In this guide, you can learn different ways to manage debt with our top tips, and find advice on how keeping your finances under control.

Ways to manage debt

Removing the stigma around debt

If you’re dealing with the stress of debt, don’t suffer in silence — it’s good to talk. In this guide you can find out how to get support from us if you’re in debt, as well as other organisations and charities, to find the best support for your needs.

Support for dealing with debt

Who are Citizens Advice and how can they help?

Citizens Advice is a national, registered charity offering people free, independent, and confidential advice, whoever you are, whatever the problem.

The aim of Citizens Advice is to:

Provide the advice people need for the problems they face
Improve the policies and practices that affect people’s lives.

To try and help as many people as possible, Citizens Advice offer a variety of ways you can get in touch with them. So you can speak to them in a way that’s most comfortable for you.

Any conversations you have with Citizens Advice will be confidential and will not affect your credit score.

Visit the Citizens Advice website

Are you an existing customer with us?

If you have a product with us here at The Co-operative Bank, you have access to our customer self-referral service to Citizens Advice; ensuring you receive a response from Citizens Advice within 2 business days. Find our self-referral service to Citizens Advice.

Real life stories from real life people

If you’re feeling alone, anxious, or overwhelmed by your financial situation, please remember you’re not on your own. The cost of living is affecting everyone, and it’s not uncommon for someone’s financial situation to change because of this.

Below you can find real life case studies of people who were experiencing difficult times, and their journey to finding the right support.

Please note: these stories have been anonymised to keep them confidential.

Samantha's story

Samantha:

Was made redundant and struggled with her energy bills. She got into arrears over the winter
Then found another job but she struggled to pay for both the arrears and her normal energy bill
Then had her monthly energy charge raised by her supplier. She knew there was no way she would be able to afford the higher cost.

Samantha spoke to Citizens Advice and:

They checked whether she was entitled to any more money
They found she was entitled to a warm home discount and helped her apply for it
They found she was eligible to apply for a Trust Fund - which could wipe out her arrears
They completed the Trust Fund application on her behalf.

The Trust Fund application was successful and Samantha was delighted she was no longer in debt. She said she was very grateful for Citizens Advice’s help as she now feels she has a ‘clear slate.’

Andy's story

Andy:

Had lived in a flat rented from a private landlord for over 5 years. It had damp and mould in many rooms, the flooring needed to be repaired, and there was crumbling plaster on some walls
Had water flood into his home after the flat above his experienced a burst pipe. Water came into his living room through the ceiling and a light fitting and there was even more damp in the flat
Contacted his landlord but they did not do anything. He did not want to face another winter of living in a cold, damp home and was fed up of sending his kids to school with clothes that smelled of damp.

Andy spoke to Citizens Advice and:

He sent them pictures of the disrepair and a letter from her GP which explained how these problems in the flat were impacting on his health
They dealt with his landlord on his behalf and reminded the landlord that they would be breaking the law if they did not maintain the property
They helped him to register for social housing in his local area which would be much more affordable for him.

Andy’s flat is now properly maintained and much more comfortable.

Rachel's story

Rachel:

Lived with her two young children. She was made redundant and the Jobcentre suggested she should claim Universal Credit
Was confused as she had never claimed benefits before and did not know what paperwork she had to provide to make her claim
Wanted to get a new job as quickly as possible but needed to find a job that worked around her childcare arrangements
Was worried that she was going to have to wait at least 5 weeks before she received her first payment as she said she was already struggling to manage
Had no cooker, as hers had recently broken. She was waiting until she got a job to get it fixed or replaced and was spending a lot of money on microwave meals in the meantime.

Rachel spoke to Citizens Advice and:

They explained Universal Credit and talked through some examples of how much Universal Credit she would receive depending on her wages when she moved back into employment
They explained how to fill in the Universal Credit form online and what evidence she needed to provide
They explained how to get an advance payment from the Jobcentre
They applied to a trust fund to get her a new cooker.

Rachel’s application for Universal Credit was successful and she got a new cooker through the trust fund, so she does not have to worry about how to feed her family.

Try MoneyHelper tools and calculators

MoneyHelper is a free-to-use, government supported advice service that offers a range of easy-to-use tools, calculators, and letter templates, to help you with a variety of financial situations. MoneyHelper’s aim is to provide you with clear money and pension guidance, online or over the phone, so you can move on with life.

Tools you can expect to find on MoneyHelper are:

Benefits calculator and Money Manager for Universal Credit
Day-to-day budgeting, car costs, and family planning calculator
Loan and credit card calculators
Bill prioritiser and redundancy calculator
Letter templates to request social care or community care.

Please note: the below link will open MoneyHelper’s website in a new tab.

Visit MoneyHelper to use these tools

Independent charities and organisations

Here are some charities and organisations that can support you during hard times.

What you get If you’re entitled to certain benefits or tax credits, you may be able to get payments to help with the rising cost of living.

More information Learn more about the different Cost of Living Payments

What you get You can contact your local authority to see if you’re eligible for help from a Household Support Fund scheme. You don’t necessarily have to receive benefits to be eligible.

More information Find out how to contact your local authority or council on GOV.UK

What you get Through our partnership, Citizens Advice can help you if you’re experiencing financial and debt-related problems, by offering free, fast, and confidential advice.

More information Find out how you can get direct help from Citizens Advice

What you get Turn2us is a national charity that provides information and support about welfare benefits and charitable grants.

More information Get support from Turn2us

What you get The Debt Respite Scheme, also known as Breathing Space, is a government scheme available in England and Wales, to try and help relieve some of the pressure and stress caused by being in debt. If you pass the eligibility checks, you could receive up to 60 days' respite from debt stresses such as fees and court action.

More information Learn more about the Breathing Space scheme on StepChange’s website

What you get Refuge are a charity who help survivors of domestic abuse. They provide support to women and children that have escaped violent or volatile situations.

More information Get support from Refuge

What you get StepChange is a charity that provides confidential, free, impartial, and independent debt advice.

More information Get debt support and advice from StepChange

What you get National Debtline is a charity authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority. They provide free and independent advice about debt online or over the phone.

More information Get independent advice from National Debtline

What you get Business Debtline can help you find the right debt solution for you and your business.

More information Get support from Business Debtline

What you get Alcoholism and alcohol abuse can impact people's lives in many different ways, whether it's their finances, health, career, or relationships. Alcoholics Anonymous offers a free programme that can help with the personal recovery of those living with alcohol dependence.

More information Get support from Alcoholics Anonymous

What you get Gamcare is a charity that helps anyone affected by gambling problems. They provide free information, advice and support, and have a handy self-assessment tool that's totally anonymous.

More information Get support from Gamcare

Visit a branch

Call us

Money Management Hub

We're here to help