Sometimes things just don’t go to plan or sometimes life throws us a surprise that we weren’t quite prepared for. When it comes to finance most of us will try to tackle the problem ourselves and often never reach out for help and that’s okay. However if your financial troubles are growing or your feeling anxious or unsure then don’t feel ashamed to ask for help and advice, there are a number of people there to help you. Below we’ve listed a number of groups that can help you on the way to financial fitness, providing free and independent advice in a confidential and secure manner.
The Money Advice Service
The Money Advice Service helps people manage their money, they do this directly through their own free and impartial advice service. They also work in partnership with other organisations to help people make the most of their money and are an independent service, set up by the government.
The service is available 24 hours a day via their website and six days a week by telephone on 0800 138 7777 (calls are free).
Anyone can use the service and they provide guidance across a wide range of money matters, including a number of useful tools and calculators to help people manage their money. Their focus is on supporting people who can benefit the most from their help or who are going through significant life events - such as saving for a home, dealing with the breakdown of a long-term relationship, or starting a family.
You can find out more by calling 0800 138 7777 or visiting www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk
Citizens Advice Scotland
Citizens Advice Scotland, and their 61 member bureaux and consumer helpline together form Scotland’s largest independent advice network. They help more than 300,000 people solve their problems each year in communities everywhere from city centres to the Highlands and Islands. They look at the problems people bring to their advice services and campaign for change where it’s needed most. They work for a fairer Scotland where people are empowered and their rights respected.
From stopping payday lenders ruining lives to helping people get benefits they are entitled to or get through work or family difficulties, no problem is too big or too small. MORI research shows one in five people in Scotland visited a local Citizens Advice Bureau in recent years and 98 per cent of clients trust the service and were satisfied with the help they gave them.
Each Citizens Advice Bureau in Scotland is a registered charity and raises its own funds. Use our bureau finder to get in touch with your local bureau and find out how they can help: www.cas.org.uk/bureaux
Scotland’s Financial Health Service
The Scottish Government introduced the Bankruptcy and Debt Advice (Scotland) Bill in June 2013. The Bill was passed by the Parliament on 20th March 2014 and received Royal Assent on 29th April 2014.
The Act introduces measures to help those people in Scotland who are struggling under the burden of debt. Debt management and debt relief in Scotland is being modernised to take in to account the recession, the credit crunch and the increase in the public use of high interest borrowing products such as payday loans. The Act also makes provisions for a ‘Financial Health Service’ for Scotland, a concept which includes rehabilitation for individuals and organisations in relation to their financial pressures.
Working together with various stakeholders from the financial advice and support sector, the Scottish Government has developed this website to provide a one stop shop for those who have money problems or are seeking general help with their financial worries. They are an impartial website and do not provide advice directly but their aim is to signpost those in need to the most appropriate area of support, ranging from debt solutions, borrowing, managing your money or general welfare concerns.
For more information visit: www.scotlandsfinancialhealthservice.gov.uk
This list isn’t exhaustive and there are a lot more services out there but this makes a good starting point for those looking to get started. If you are ever struggling with your repayments to the Credit Union please get in touch with us, we work with our members to ensure the best possible solution to their problem and aim to work with them every step of the way.
