Afforda

Afforda, a benefits and credit guidance platform in the UK

Afforda is a free online service that helps users identify government benefits, exclusive discounts and credit options tailored to their situation. The platform presents itself as a tool for discovering financial support that often goes unnoticed and for simplifying financial information.

How the platform works

Users start by indicating what they need to resolve: repairing or replacing something at home, paying bills, exploring credit options, dealing with a change in circumstances, checking benefits or managing debt and money worries. Based on that information, Afforda guides them towards the available options. The website states that the process is free and that the information requested is used to personalise the experience.

Benefits and government support

The platform offers a free benefits calculator to check eligibility, a process that according to the website takes about five minutes. The guides catalogue covers a wide variety of support within the British system, including:

• Universal Credit, Working Tax Credit, Child Tax Credit, Income Support and Jobseeker's Allowance.
• Pension Credit, the new State Pension and the basic State Pension.
• Disability Living Allowance (DLA) for adults and children, Personal Independence Payment (PIP) and Employment and Support Allowance (ESA).
• Carer's Allowance and Carer's Credits.
• Child Benefit, Maternity Allowance, Statutory Maternity Pay, Statutory Paternity Pay and Sick Pay.
• Housing Benefit, Discretionary Housing Payments, help with mortgage interest (SMI) and Budgeting Loan or Advance.
• Cold Weather Payments, Winter Fuel Payment, Energy Schemes and Water Schemes.
• Council Tax discounts, help with childcare and health costs, Funeral Payments and Hardship Payments.
• Benefits for apprentices, full-time and part-time students, employees and self-employed people, as well as for care leavers.
• Guides on the EU Settled Status Scheme, National Insurance contributions (NICs) and workers' rights in the UK.

Discounts and credit options

Afforda provides exclusive discounts at high street stores and works with payday lenders, short-term loan companies and credit line firms, among others, to try to get you the credit you need. The website shows a representative 1333% APR.

Financial education and debt management

The site publishes guides on personal finance and debt. Topics covered include the 1p Saving Challenge, the 50/30/20 rule, budgeting with irregular income, the best budgeting apps in the UK, bankruptcy, Breathing Space, Debt Management Plans (DMP), Debt Relief Orders, the snowball method, the consequences of a CCJ or a default on your credit file, credit unions, forbearance, Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA), overdrafts and credit cards. It also covers how to improve your credit score, how to cancel a card, how to claim lost loans and pensions, how to reduce energy bills, how to switch energy supplier, how to transfer money between banks and how to write a will.

Loans

The loans section includes categories such as loans for bad credit, bridging loans, car finance, debt consolidation, guarantor loans, logbook loans, peer-to-peer loans, personal loans, same-day loans, secured loans and short-term loans, as well as comparisons between secured and unsecured loans.

Additional resources

Afforda maintains an insights section with articles such as using food banks, even if you are not on benefits, and alternatives to credit when a washing machine breaks down. The platform also offers FAQs and a contact form.