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MPs to experience money management sessions in action

28 March 2011

Members of Parliament from across the UK will be taking part in an innovative MoneyActive ‘taster’ session delivered by CAB volunteers and sponsored by Greg Hands MP at Portcullis House on Tuesday 29 March.

MoneyActive is a three year partnership between Nationwide Building Society and the national charity Citizens Advice which launched in 2009 to recruit and train volunteers to deliver financial training and advice on money matters to members of the public including how to manage a household budget, plan savings and prioritise debts.   

To date 1000 volunteers across the UK have been involved in the programme and it is estimated that the benefits of these community based money management sessions  have already reached over 100,000 people .In addition, more than one third of MoneyActive volunteers who have left the project have found paid employment or moved into education or training.

MPs have been invited to attend the session to raise awareness of the growing number of people struggling with debt and the services available to their constituents to help manage their money and avoid falling into debt.

These sessions complement the one-to-one advice sessions provided by Bureaux and are free of charge to the local community and voluntary groups. They are offered by more than 80 Bureaux although these often cover wider geographical areas through outreach work in schools, community groups and colleges.

The event’s host Greg Hands MP (Chelsea & Fulham) said:

“For some consumers, it can be a challenge to understand and manage household bills. While most people know they can turn to Citizens Advice in times of crisis many do not know about the MoneyActive project which is there to help prevent people from getting into financial difficulties in the first place. I’m delighted to host this taster session and spread the word amongst MPs so that they can ensure their constituents benefit from the MoneyActive service.“

Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“We are very pleased to be taking the MoneyActive project into Parliament. By giving MPs a taste of the sessions provided by our Bureaux we hope their constituents will become even better equipped to access the advice and help available to avoid falling into debt.

“Our partnership with Nationwide means that many more Citizens Advice bureaux can offer financial capability training to their local communities, giving consumers the skills they need to budget, borrow and save with confidence.”

Annette Kerlin, Head of Corporate Affairs at Nationwide Building Society said:

“Nationwide is committed to helping the communities in which it operates and ensuring financial education is readily available. As well as the support we offer customers through our branches we recognise the role of MPs in supporting their constituents to get the help and advice they need and the role of Citizens Advice in providing free, independent and impartial education and advice. We are very proud to partner Citizens Advice and to help increase their capacity to support the community.”

Citizens Advice

Notes to editors

  1. The Citizens Advice service comprises a network of local bureaux, all of which are independent charities, and national charity Citizens Advice. Together we help people resolve their money, legal and other problems by providing information and advice and by influencing policymakers. For more information in England and Wales see www.citizensadvice.org.uk
  2. 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. For online advice and information see www.adviceguide.org.uk
  3. Citizens Advice Bureaux in England and Wales advised 2.1 million clients on 6.9 million problems from April 2011 to March 2012. For full 2011/2012 service statistics see our quarterly publication Advice trends
  4. Out of 22 national charities, the Citizens Advice service is ranked by the general public as being the most helpful, approachable, professional, informative, effective / cost effective, reputable and accountable (nfpSynergy’s Brand Attributes survey, May 2010).
  5. Most Citizens Advice service staff are trained volunteers, working at around 3,500 service outlets across England and Wales.