Everyday money: United Kingdom.

A take-home sheet for people at the session. Other countries: United States · Canada · Australia.

Moraph for Good · Fluent

Everyday money: United Kingdom

Handout · moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/everyday-money

This sheet goes with the Everyday money session. It is general information, not advice about your own situation.

A budget that survives a real month

Write down what comes in and the date it arrives.
List the bills that can’t move, next to their due dates, and match each to a payday.
Add up the costs that don’t come every month, divide by 12, and set that aside monthly.
Check once a week, so a bad week can be fixed before the month is lost.

When income goes up and down

Plan on a lower month, not an average one.
Keep a holding pot and pay yourself a steady amount from it.
Pay housing, power, food and getting to work first, and call before you miss a payment.

Starting an emergency fund

Start small and make it automatic on payday.
Keep it separate from everyday spending, somewhere protected.
Use it for real emergencies, then refill it.

If the month doesn’t add up

Free, confidential help with bills and debt exists; see below.
Nobody needs to charge you to deal with your creditors or apply for help.
Ask companies about hardship plans before you fall behind.

In the United Kingdom

Free debt advice. GOV.UK advises speaking to a debt adviser to help choose how to deal with debt, and points to MoneyHelper for information about free debt advice services.
Breathing Space. A standard breathing space is available to anyone with problem debt. It gives legal protections from creditor action for up to 60 days, including pausing most enforcement action and contact from creditors and freezing most interest and charges. It can only be started by an FCA-authorised debt advice provider or a local authority.
When income changes. GOV.UK lists independent, free and anonymous benefits calculators you can use to check what support you might get.
Protected savings. If a UK-authorised bank, building society or credit union fails, the Financial Services Compensation Scheme compensates eligible savers up to £120,000 per person, per institution. Banks that share a licence share one limit.

Official places to check:

GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/options-for-dealing-with-your-debts
GOV.UK (HM Treasury): www.gov.uk/government/publications/debt-respite-scheme-breathing-space-guidance/debt-respite-scheme-breathing-space-guidance-for-creditors
GOV.UK: www.gov.uk/benefits-calculators
Financial Services Compensation Scheme: www.fscs.org.uk/what-we-cover/banks-building-societies-credit-unions

General information, not advice about your own situation. Checked 19 October 2026. If an official source says something different, it is right. Free to copy and adapt. moraph.org/commons/sessions/fluent/everyday-money