UK Savings Week: free money saving courses available
Monday, 18 September 2023
The Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy (BESA) is supporting UK Savings Week (18 to 24 September) with a range of courses to help people increase their confidence with money.
UK Savings Week is designed to get people thinking about saving; having some money saved up can help provide a cushion for unplanned events or emergencies. To help anyone who isn’t sure where to start, BESA has a range of funded courses on offer that can help.
The Multiply courses are free for anyone who lives in Central Bedfordshire or Bedford Borough, who is 19 years old and over and doesn’t have a maths qualification (equal to GCSE grade 4 or C and above). Courses cover topics including:
- tips and tricks for saving, budgeting and making money go further
- understanding borrowing and debt
- becoming more savvy with supermarket and retail shopping
- learning how to cut costs in the kitchen every week
- building confidence with daily money tasks
- understanding payslips and learning about tax
The workshops are delivered in community venues across Central Bedfordshire and Bedford Borough, as well as virtually on Microsoft Teams. There is also a range of independent online courses so learners can take part at their own pace at a time suitable for them.
Some BESA money skills courses offer eligible residents a free £30 food e-voucher for attending, with up to £90 per person available.
Lorna Carver, Director of Place and Communities said:
The Bedfordshire Employment and Skills Academy workshops and courses are a safe space for people to take a little time to think about their finances, so they feel confident setting money goals. Whether someone is just getting started with saving or wants to learn how to make their money go further, there is a course suitable for them.
I would encourage people to visit the BESA pages of our website to find out more about what’s on offer.
This UK Savings Week, we're also reminding residents about our dedicated cost of living section, which contains a wealth of information and practical tips on how to save money at home.
Lorna added:
We recognise that people may be concerned about increases in the cost of living, especially with things like food or heating costs. Our dedicated web pages provide a one-stop resource for all residents looking for information or support to help keep up with rising expenses.