Our free printed guides give you clear, unbiased information and advice. They are a good starting point and can help you make informed choices. Our guides are intended for consumers of UK financial services, resident in the UK.
You can download guides here or you can order printed copies using our order forms.
Welsh versions of these guides are available.
Equity release schemes
This guide is for you if you are approaching retirement or already retired and are considering using the value of your home to raise a cash lump sum, additional income or both.
Endowment mortgages complaints
This guide is for you if you want to make a complaint about the way your endowment mortgage was sold to you. If you think that you were mis-sold your endowment mortgage, you may be able to make a complaint and be entitled to compensation.
Problems paying your mortgage
Making a mortgage endowment complaint
This guide is for you if you are struggling to pay your mortgage. It will help you understand:
- what steps you can take now
- the help you can get
- what your options are
- where to go for more help and advice.
Dealing with your endowment mortgage shortfall
This guide is for you if you’re relying on an endowment policy to repay your mortgage and you’ve received a shortfall letter. Lots of people are facing a shortfall on their endowment mortgage because their endowment policies haven’t produced the results needed.
Act now and it will save you money in the long term. Follow the steps in this guide to take control of your situation.
Sale-and-rent-back schemes
This factsheet from the Money Advice Service tells you:
- the risks of sale-and-rent-back schemes
- what to think about before agreeing to one.
Making a mortgage endowment complaint
This factsheet from the Money Advice Service tells you:
- when you can complain about a mortgage
- endowment policy
- how to make a complaint.
Endowment mortgage compensation
This Money Advice Service factsheet tells you:
- how compensation is calculated if you have a valid endowment mortgage complaint, and
- answers some frequently asked questions.
You can afford your mortgage now, but what if…?
This guide is for you if you are buying a home for the first time. A mortgage is a long-term commitment. Find out how to prepare for situations where your payments or income may change, so that you can cope more easily and lower the risk of losing your home.
Take action with your interest-only mortgage now
If you have an interest-only mortgage it’s vital to have a plan to pay off the capital. If you don’t, you may have to sell your home to repay the mortgage when the term ends. You could also find that you can’t move home or remortgage to a cheaper deal if your home has fallen in value, or even remained the same, as some lenders will no longer offer such a high loan to property values as they did in the past. Time is short – follow the steps below to get on track.
The redundancy handbook
This guide is for you if your job is under threat or you have been made redundant. It will explain your rights and show what steps you can take to protect your finances.
Universal Credit, England and Wales: Managing your money and paying your rent
This guide is for you if you want to know more about Universal Credit. It can help you:
- make a new claim
- use the right bank account to manage your money
- work out how to pay your rent directly to your landlord
- think about how to make a single payment last a month
- set a budget to plan your spending
Universal Credit, Scotland: Managing your money and paying your rent
How to make the most of your Universal Credit payments in Scotland. It can help you:
- make a new claim
- use the right bank account to manage your money
- work out how to pay your rent directly to your landlord
- think about how to make a single payment last a month
- set a budget to plan your spending
Universal Credit, Northern Ireland: Managing your money and paying your rent
How to make the most of your Universal Credit payments in Northern Ireland. It can help you:
- make a new claim
- use the right bank account to manage your money
- work out how to pay your rent directly to your landlord
- think about how to make a single payment last a month
- set a budget to plan your spending
Your pension: It’s time to choose
This guide is for you if you are planning to access a pension pot built up from contributions into a personal or workplace pension. It sets out your options for using your pot(s) to provide a retirement income and the benefits and any potential risks of the different choices.
Personal pensions
If you are self-employed, not currently working, or can’t join a workplace pension scheme this guide will help you understand the benefits of starting to save into a personal pension and which type may be suitable for you.
Credit unions
This guide is for you if you want to find out how credit unions can help you manage your money. When you read it you will find out:
- how they work
- how you can join a credit union
- how you can save or borrow with one.
Fee-free basic bank accounts
This guide is for you if you want to know more about a new type of fee-free basic bank account.
Making the most of your money
Whatever stage of life you’re at – whether you’re saving into a pension for the first time, buying or renting a home, starting a family or planning to retire – there are always ways of making your money go further. We can’t cover everything in this guide but we’ll give you some hints and tips to help you along the way.
Late miscarriage, stillbirth and neonatal death
We know that in addition to the shock and sadness you are going through, you may also be experiencing unexpected financial strain. Although claiming financial benefits is likely to be the last thing on your mind, you may find this guide helpful as it shows what you may be entitled to.
Teaching your children about money
Many parents and carers feel that children shouldn’t be burdened with adult responsibilities like handling money. However, talking about finances will help them to avoid difficulties in later life, and it can be very empowering to give your children skills and confidence with money.
