What we offer: money and finance
We'll try to help you financially, in a similar way to how parents would support their own children.
We offer:
- if you're age 16 to age 18 living independently and unemployed, we'll pay you a weekly allowance equivalent to the Universal Credit payment
- if you're age 16 to age 18, we'll pay your accommodation rent costs if living in a placement agreed by the Pathway Team
- support you to access the children’s independent savings account (ISA) set up in your name by the department for education (DFE)
- provide or inform you about relevant money management courses or one to one support to help you budget your income and prioritise your essential outgoings
- support to help you to gain knowledge about different bank accounts, savings, ISAs, loans, and credit cards
- support to help you to understand your wage slip when in employment
- to provide a leaving care grant to help you buy essential things when moving into your own home. In York we now pay £3000 which includes the purchase of your first TV licence
- to pay your Council Tax for the 1st year of your first city of York tenancy
- to pay for the first year’s home contents insurance when a young person moves into their own property
Between the ages of 18 and 21 years, we'll:
- provide a birthday present or gift voucher
- provide a gift or voucher for religious celebrations, for example, Christmas and Eid
- support you with 10 hours of driving lessons, or to pass your CBT
- pay for your first driving theory test
- pay for your first driving test
- young people in custody can receive up to £20 per month in the form of a postal order for personal needs and phone credit
Tips from care leavers
It’s always best to leave care in a planned and supported way, to know where you will live and how much money you will have to support yourself.
Make sure your accommodation is affordable and safe.
Its £200 you can keep adding to it or cash it in. Ask your Pathway worker about it.
Keep on top of your bills! Pay the essentials first!
Have a budget plan and stick to it.
It’s great to save! But so easy to get over drawn and into debt if you don’t know enough about bank cards, credit cards or loans.
It’s a great sense of pride earning your own income.
White goods (fridge, washer, cooker) and carpets are very expensive. Your Pathway worker can support and advise you on how and where to get the best value for your money.
It’s important to set up a payment scheme to insure your possessions in the second year.
To celebrate special occasions!
10 driving lessons are a great help in learning to drive but you may need more, so it's important to save in advance as you can often get a reduction if you book or pay for blocks of 5 or more.
We hope you never need this, but if you do, remember the Pathway Team will continue to support you, visit you, and plan for your release if you're in custody.
