Your money
You can get advice around managing your money from your personal advisor.
Here are some of the other ways that we can help:
- Council tax: Leicestershire County Council exempts care leavers from council tax wherever you live in the country - for more information, please speak to your Personal Advisor or call our duty team on 0116 305 3051 or email careleaversuascduty@leics.gov.uk.
- Benefits: Your personal advisor can tell you about what benefits you’re entitled to claim and how to claim. We also have a Welfare Rights Advisor if you need more specialist advice.
- Bursaries for university: If you are a care leaver studying at university, then you may be entitled to a bursary from the council of £4,000 per year. We may also be able to help you with accommodation over the holidays if you need it. Your personal advisor can help find out if there is additional support that you can access from your university.
- Support for higher education courses: We may be able to help with costs for travel, books and course materials, as well as assess whether you need help with your living and childcare expenses while you study.
- Weekly allowance: If you’re 16 or 17 and live in semi-independent or independent accommodation, then you will be entitled to a weekly allowance, until you are able to claim universal credit and payments are in place.
- Learning to drive: If you’re learning to drive, then we can help pay for your license, test and half of the costs of your lessons. Please speak to your personal advisor for more information.
- Celebrations: You may be entitled to money to help celebrate your birthdays and Christmas (or another religious festival if you prefer) until the age of 21.