Financial Wellbeing Week

27 – 30 November 2023

The cost of living crisis is still here and the potentially pricey festive period is looming whether it be Christmas, Hanukkah, Eid you’ll be celebrating (or simply wanting to ring the new year in, in style), managing our personal finances is even more important now than ever.

UNISON’s Financial wellbeing week is offering five days packed with webinars and workshops to help you take a look at the ways you can battle the pressures such as debt.

These are free online events for UNISON members and are an opportunity to consider how you can manage your money and develop your skills in financial capability. If you are a potential member take a look at what is on offer as there are a few sessions open to you too.

See below for details of each session and when it will be running. Sign up for as many as interest you by completing the form at the bottom of the page. All sessions will be delivered online via MS Teams or Zoom. The event registration form can be found below the event details:

Making the most of your membership – For UNISON members and non-members

Registration Closed: The registration deadline for this course has now passed.

Monday 27th November 2023, 12:00 – 13:00

UNISON membership offers a wide range of benefits and support on top of work-related matters that are trade unions’ bread and butter. This webinar delves into the different ways UNISON membership can help you secure deals on shopping, holidays and much more and how to apply for financial assistance and support from UNISON’s charity.

The webinar is open for everyone, both members and potential members, and covers the following:

  • UNISON Living and member benefit offers
  • There for You charity
  • Free learning with UNISON College
  • UNISON campaigning on cost of living policies.

This webinar is delivered on Teams, and it will be recorded.

Pensions and pre-retirement explained – For UNISON members only

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Monday 27 November 2023, 14.00-15.00

Lighthouse Financial Advice, the trusted financial advice partner of UNISON, are a leading financial business, whose purpose is to help you achieve your aspirations through expert financial planning.

This free webinar, presented by one of their expert financial advisers, is designed to help you understand how to secure the income you need for a comfortable retirement and will offer the chance for you to learn about:

  • How your pensions work, including the state and workplace pensions
  • When you can take your pensions and how much you can expect to receive
  • Your options for accessing any additional pension savings, including from previous employers
  • Ways you may be able to increase your income
  • Tax considerations, including your tax-free lump sum
  • Countering inflation: will your income keep its value in real terms?

Creating your tomorrow – For UNISON members only

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Tuesday 28th November 2023, 10.00-11.00

 Lighthouse Financial Advice, the trusted financial advice partner of UNISON, are a leading financial business, whose purpose is to help you achieve your aspirations through expert financial planning. 

This free webinar, presented by one of their expert financial advisers, is designed to help you make the most of your money and secure your financial future and will offer the chance for you to learn about: 

  • Build up a nest-egg tax-efficiently, for yourself or for your children or grandchildren.
  • Boost your pension provision, so you will be able to enjoy a comfortable retirement.
  • Protect your family’s income, so they have enough money if the worst happens.
  • Take your pension, including both public and private sector pensions, and get the best possible income.

Earning in 2023 – For UNISON members only 

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Tuesday 28 November 2023, 14.00-15.30

Do you need support  understanding your pay?

Your bills are coming out monthly, your pay is less regular, and it can be tricky to budget when costs are rising. This session will help you with everything from tax codes to guidance checking your entitlements. We will cover what a payslip looks like so you can learn to spot common mistakes — and get the full amount you signed up for. Whatever your age, it is never too early to get savvy about your payslip and pension or learn to ask your boss the right questions.

  • Understand various ways to access workplace benefits that can enhance your standard of living.
  • Understand the features of a payslip.
  • Identify how this will apply to your context and plan the next steps.

We know money is a tough subject, but it’s always good to get as much control as possible. Open to all members. Book your space now.

Credit, borrowing and debt – For UNISON members only

Wednesday 29 November 2023, 12.00-13.00

With a seemingly endless array of credit products on offer, it can be difficult to understand how to make the best choices. This one-hour webinar will give you the information you need to ask the right questions before taking out credit. It will also share tips for improving/building your credit rating. Information on how to access support for debt will also be given.

This session is delivered by The Money Charity on Zoom and includes their Money Manual for attendees.

The session covers:

  • The cost of living crisis
  • Different options for borrowing
  • How to compare credit products and the importance of credit scores
  • Managing debt and accessing support
  • Introduction to organisations offering free, creditable support and information.

Understanding Mortgages – For UNISON members only

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Wednesday 29 November 2023, 15.00-16.00

Lighthouse Financial Advice, the trusted financial advice partner of UNISON, are a leading financial business, whose purpose is to help you achieve your aspirations through expert financial planning.

This free webinar, presented by one of their expert financial advisers,  will be explaining:

  • The different types of mortgages available
  • How to be the perfect mortgage applicant (or the best you can be)
  • The hidden costs: it’s not just the deposit you need
  • Why you should review your mortgage regularly
  • Schemes that can enable you to buy a home
  • Why using a mortgage adviser could save you ££££

Pensions and pre-retirement explained – For UNISON members only

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Thursday 30 November 2023

10.00-11.00

Lighthouse Financial Advice, the trusted financial advice partner of UNISON, are a leading financial business, whose purpose is to help you achieve your aspirations through expert financial planning.

This free webinar, presented by one of their expert financial advisers, is designed to help you understand how to secure the income you need for a comfortable retirement and will offer the chance for you to learn about:

  • How your pensions work, including the state and workplace pensions
  • When you can take your pensions and how much you can expect to receive
  • Your options for accessing any additional pension savings, including from previous employers
  • Ways you may be able to increase your income
  • Tax considerations, including your tax-free lump sum
  • Countering inflation: will your income keep its value in real terms?

Credit Crunch Cookery

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Thursday 30th November, 12.00-13.00 – For UNISON members and non-members

This workshop, created and delivered by UNISON, is designed to provide ways in which you can make your groceries go further. How to avoid waste, save money and provide for your family in a more cost effective way. As well as providing tips and tricks to enable you to do this we will also be providing you with a selection of family friendly recipes to take away with you.

Budgeting in 2023 – For UNISON members only

Course Full: all of the places on this course have now been allocated.

Thursday 30 November 2023, 14.00-15.30

Take the time to check in on your finances this winter. This session will aim to build your financial resilience with a dive into basic budgeting. It will talk about budgeting challenges during a cost-of-living crisis and how automating your finances can help. Whatever your money situation, you will understand what money support is available and which money risks can be avoided with a bit of planning.

  • Make choices about managing your money that align with your needs, wants and future goals.
  • Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of budgeting systems and how to apply them to individual lifestyles.
  • Know who you can contact if you are facing financial difficulty and how they may be able to help.

We know money is a tough subject, but it is always good to get as much control as possible. Open to all members. Book your space now.

Register for these workshops via the form below – please note that only a limited number of places are still available at this point:

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