Search

Preparing For Your New Home

Have you thought about

  • The cost of running a home
  • How you will source the things you will need for your new home including floor coverings, beds and essential white goods like a cooker, washing machine and a fridge freezer.
  • How you will save for unexpected expenses, for example if your washing machine or cooker breakdown – how will you replace these items?

Here are some helpful hints to get you off to the good start

How much does it cost to run a home

The chart below shows the average weekly cost of running a home, although your own costs will differ depending on your household income, the size of your family and any discounts you may be entitled to for your rent and council tax.

Saving for essential goods and unexpected bills

Saving with a Credit Union will not only help you to furnish your home, but you will also have a safety net with some money set aside to help cover unforeseen circumstances. Most people find that joining a Credit Union is easy and affordable and it is a rewarding way for you to save for those unexpected bills.

 

Scottish Welfare Fund

If you need help to set up a new home, and you are on benefits or a low income, you could be eligible for a Crisis Grant or Community Care Grant. These grants are administered by Fife Council and further information about qualifying conditions and information about how to apply is available on fifedirect.

Budgeting Loans

You may be eligible for a Budgeting Loan from the DWP if you receive certain types of benefits. A budgeting loan can help to pay for essential household items, costs linked to moving house or even rent in advance for a private tenancy.

A Budgeting Loan is interest free so you only pay back what you borrow.

The repayments will be taken automatically from your benefits. The amounts you repay are based on how much benefit you get and what you can afford.

You normally have to repay the loan within 2 years. If you stop getting benefits, you’ll need to arrange another way to repay.

You can't get a budgeting loan if you get Universal Credit. You will need to apply for a Budgeting Advance instead.

Repayment Loans

If you are not currently eligible to apply for a loan through your local Credit Union, Conduit Scotland are a not-for-profit responsible lender who offer fair and affordable personal loans to low income households. This service is a lower cost alternative to the high interest 'payday loans' that you see advertised or the door step lenders that you may be familiar with.

Loan amounts offered by Conduit Scotland can range from £100 to £1000 and a flexible repayment period of 6-12 months is normally offered.

Charities and Benevolent Funds

If you receive an offer of housing from one of the Fife Housing Register Partners they may be able to assist you with making an application to a charity or a benevolent fund to help you buy the things you will need for your new home. More information about how each landlord may be able help you is available at Tenancy assistance in your own home.

Other ways to source essential household items

There are a number of local organisations that provide low cost furniture and white goods such as Castle Furniture and Furniture Plus. You can also try your local charity shops. Many tenants also recommend using social media sites such as Gumtree, Ebay or Facebook Marketplace to find bargains.

Please note that using any of these services is at your own discretion.

Service Update

November 2023 - Customer Survey

We want to hear from you! Fife Housing Register are running a customer survey from November 2023 to January 2024. We want to hear from applicants who have either completed their housing journey with us or are currently on our waiting list. Your answers could help us improve our service in the future. Please see the below link to the survey;

FHR SURVEY

June 2023 - The Fife Housing Register Team have moved base from New City House, Dunfermline to Brunton House, Cowdenbeath. Any Post being sent to the FHR Team should be sent to the following;

Fife Housing Register Team, Cowdenbeath Customer Service Centre, Brunton House, High Street, Cowdenbeath, KY4 9QU.

Alternatively you can;-

Loading