Whether it's finances for now or the future, it isn't always obvious where to start when you're looking for help or information.

A good starting point is MoneyHelper – a government backed service which brings together everyday money and pensions guidance. MoneyHelper includes a list of useful contacts as well as a number of helpful tools and calculators. Some of these are shown below:

• A 'Budget Planner' to help manage money;
• Help with the cost of living which features a number of useful guides;
• A Pension Calculator that can help find out your likely retirement income.

It is important when making any financial decisions that you consider both the immediate impact as well as the effect on your future needs.

If you are over 50, you can access a free pensions guidance service run by Pension Wise (this is also part of MoneyHelper). Pension Wise is primarily aimed at those with Defined Contribution (DC) pension pots and offers free guidance appointments which can be online, on the phone or face to face.