100 likes | 315 Vues
Improving Debt Advice provision. Lisa Colclough National Money Advice Policy and Development Officer Citizens Advice . The CAB Service. Citizens Advice Bureaux - independent charities 390 member bureaux 16000 volunteers 95% public awareness 52% public usage/contact
E N D
Improving Debt Advice provision. Lisa Colclough National Money Advice Policy and Development Officer Citizens Advice
The CAB Service • Citizens Advice Bureaux - independent charities • 390 member bureaux • 16000 volunteers • 95% public awareness • 52% public usage/contact • 7 million new problems last year – 18% increase due to recession • Advice face-to-face, on the phone, in community venues, by email and www.adviceguide.org.uk - 9 million users • Advice available from nearly 3,400 locations – one-third of these in health settings
All topics handled • 100% of bureaux give advice on debt – level of service to deliver casework varies with funding • 66% of bureaux deliver financial education • 14 Financial Capability forums • Money Advice (Money Guidance) delivered in Wales and Scotland
2.3m debt issues/problems (1/3 of all problems) • 580,000 people advised on debt problems • 250,000 receive financial education • 70% are tenants not homeowners • Half the average income • Owe £17k on average – unsecured • No savings – even for a rainy day • High levels fuel poverty
Lots of innovative and exiting projects but • Demand increasing • Funding challenges • F2F (FIF) funding extended until April 2012 • Local Authority funding cuts • LSC funding for debt advice likely to end • We welcome MAS involvement and co-ordinated approach to delivery and funding • Our Money Advice Strategy is developing to meet challenges and opportunities
Key elements Empowering citizens • Helping people to help themselves • Self-help is part of every service • Creating a ‘contract’ with the client • Joining up preventative and responsive services • Modelling how these mesh together • Integrating into the ‘money advice’ model • Following up clients to avoid the revolving door
Consistency and Quality Creating greater quality and consistency • Establishing a single recommended process model • Across and between all channels • Working with partners to deliver • Integrating existing tools such as CASHflow and the Money Advice Service Health Check • Further development of ICT tools that both advisor and client can use • Delivered to a recognised standard
In the community Making greater use of volunteers • At different stages of the money advice process • Enhancing the capacity of specialist money volunteers • Consistent support frameworks for volunteers
Benefits for the consumer • Clear – knowing where to go • Tailored – Advice that mixes web, phone and / or face-to-face in a way that is right for the user • Empowering – throughout the process, building skills and confidence to avoid crisis happening again and financial ‘health’ • Local, caring and independent – being served by people in their communities • Effective – solving problems and changing behaviour
Contact • Lisa.colclough@citizensadvice.org.uk 07967 014690