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05-06-2008
Citizens Advice, the charity which helps people resolve their legal, money and other problems by providing free information and advice, is working with National Debtline and Advice UK on a major project looking at people’s experience of dealing with their own debt problems.
A significant number of people in debt decide to manage negotiations with creditors themselves. They will sometimes have sought initial guidance from an advice agency, but will take everything else forward on their own.
The credit industry largely advises people in difficulty to call them and discuss their problems, but evidence from Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) shows that they are not always treated sympathetically or positively.
Alex MacDermott, creditor liaison policy officer at Citizens Advice says:
"Last year nearly one million people in England and Wales sought free advice on debt related problems*. A major part of this work involves giving clients the information and support they need to take control of their debt problems. Unfortunately, we are seeing more and more clients coming back and telling us that their offers won’t be looked at unless they are endorsed by a third party such as their local CAB.”
Citizens Advice are keen to hear from anyone who has tried to deal with their own debt problems, whether the experience was good or bad, in preparation for a report due to be launched in November this year.
To take part in a short survey on this subject please visit:  www.adviceguide.org.uk and click on the ‘dealing with your debts’ logo. Respondents will be asked why they decided to act on their own behalf, what happened when they did and what changes they would like to see to improve the system.
The report is a major collaboration between three of the biggest providers of debt advice in England and Wales. It aims to make recommendations for changes in current practice, so that everyone can more easily access good quality advice and information, become debt free and get back on track with their finances.
Anyone facing debt related problems and seeking further advice can visit: www.adviceguide.org.uk or call into their local bureau for further support. The advice guide website contains a number of fact-sheets for dealing with different types of debt, including mortgage arrears, utilities arrears and how to deal with bailiffs.
* Total number of debt enquiries made to Citizens Advice, National Debtline and Advice UK in 2007.
Notes to editors:
Advice UK
1. Adviceuk is a UK wide membership organisation with over 800 independent advice centres in membership, thus making us the UK’s largest advice network. In 2007 our members provided free and independent advice to over 2 million people. For more information see www.adviceuk.org.uk
2. Our membership is highly diverse, with both large and small independent agencies: some serving large inner-city areas and others serving small rural communities. 316 of our members provide debt advice to the public and we estimate that they assisted over 200,000 people with their debt problems last year.
3. For additional information please contact Nick Pearson, National Debt Advice Coordinator on 0207 407 4070, or 07958741 267 or email nick.pearson@adviceuk.org.uk
National Debtline
1. National Debtline (NDL) is an holistic helpline offering expert, professional advice via the telephone and email, enabling clients to deal with their debts in an informed and pro-active way. NDL is part of the Money Advice Trust (MAT), a charity formed in 1991 to increase the quality and availability of money advice in the UK.
2. MAT’s vision is to contribute to reducing unmanageable debt of UK consumers. MAT’s mission is to support individuals in the UK with unmanageable debts and to improve the capacity, quality and efficient delivery of free-to-client independent money advice, through:
·Co-ordination
·Influence
·Direct service provision (National Debtline and Business Debtline)
·Training
·Research
·Information.
Notes to editors on Citizens Advice
- The Citizens Advice service is a network of independent charities that helps people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales; www.citizensadvice.org.uk
- The advice provided by the Citizens Advice service is free, independent, confidential, and impartial, and available to everyone regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
- Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at over 3,300 locations across England and Wales.
- Advice and information www.adviceguide.org.uk
- Volunteer hotline 08451 264264 (local rate)
- Citizens Advice Guide to your rights, second edition: January 2008 - over 600 pages of practical, independent CAB advice. An invaluable resource for any bookshelf - available from all good bookshops; price £11.99; ISBN: 9780141034089
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