With the ongoing cost of living crisis, plenty of us are feeling that our money isn’t going as far as it used to.
If you’re renting your home from Wrexham council and you’re in rent arrears (you’re behind on payments) or at risk of not being able to pay, Financial Inclusion Officers are on hand to advise.
What do Financial Inclusion Officers do?
They can provide guidance to help tenants to maximise income to reduce any rent arrears, and enable you to feel confident meeting your housing costs in the long term.
Once you get in touch you’ll be supported in working out the best steps for your specific situation and help you meet your essential bills.
You’ll be able to discuss:
- Benefit calculations and applications, making sure you’re not missing out on any payments you’re entitled to
- Universal Credit queries
- Grants and support with a Discretionary Assistance Fund (DAF) application if eligible
- Setting up a payment plan if needed, to help you manage rent arrears (by paying back in smaller quantities in line with your budget)
- Signposting to other sources of support, such as the Communities for Work+ team for those looking for employment
Officers can also offer immediate crisis support when needed. For example, 1088 fuel vouchers were given out over the last year to help with energy costs and over 800 people have been fed through food vouchers that have been issued.
How to request support
Each local housing estate office in Wrexham has a Financial Inclusion Officer.
As a council tenant you can contact your local office and ask to arrange a meeting with an officer. At the meeting you can discuss your current circumstances to help the officer get an understanding of what support might be most useful for you.
Officers also hold drop-in sessions (where you can come along without needing to book an appointment). Contact your local office to check when upcoming sessions are running in your area.
Any information you choose to share about your financial situation is completely confidential.
Debt: more common than you might think
If you’re worried about money/keeping up with bills it can feel isolating especially if you don’t feel like you can talk to anyone about it.
While it can be stressful, seeking advice as soon as you feel able to can help you come up with a plan so things don’t feel as overwhelming.
Whether you’ve been struggling to meet bills for a while, or had some unexpected costs crop up which have put you under financial strain, you’re far from alone.
Recent research from StepChange, a debt charity, shows that over half of people in the UK have experienced problem debt at some point in their lives.
StepChange’s Debt Awareness Week is happening 16-22 March 2026, and they’re encouraging people to talk about money worries and overcome any shame that could be could putting you off seeking support.
If you want to understand more about debt, StepChange offer free, impartial advice online. You might find this useful to find out what your options are if you already owe money/or are at risk of being in debt and don’t feel ready to speak to someone directly yet.
General support for all Wrexham residents
Through the help with the cost of living pages on our website you can also find out about support to available locally in the Wrexham area, as well as general advice links.
You might also like to read: Over 66? Check whether you could get an income boost through Pension Credit
