Leading advice charities publish new handbook in joint action to tackle debt crisis

Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS), Money Advice Scotland (MAS) and the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) have today (Tuesday 9th July) jointly launched the first edition of a new Debt Advice Handbook for Scotland.  The Handbook brings together all the information needed to effectively support households struggling with debt.

Supported by the Scottish government the resource has been made available free online, as well as in hard copy, and gives frontline advisers a comprehensive set of tools and strategies to help restore people’s financial stability.

The publication follows CAS analysis earlier this year that suggested over 660 000 people in Scotland have seen their mental health and wellbeing affected by debt.

 

Welcoming the launch of the new resource, Derek Mitchell, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Scotland said: 

"Debt is one of the issues that we see most often in the Scottish CAB network. When debt becomes un-manageable it’s a horrible situation for people to be in, affecting not just their ability to pay their bills and put food on the table but also impacting people's physical and mental health, including relationships. We’ve been really pleased to work with our partners on this new handbook. It’s more important than ever that different organisations work together to provide the best possible support to people who need it. That’s what this handbook is all about and we hope everyone involved in debt advice in Scotland will find it useful.”  

 

John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland, said;

“With debt and poverty too often inextricably linked and families across Scotland struggling to make ends meet we are delighted to have worked with Citizens Advice Scotland and Money Advice Scotland to publish this new handbook. It will help ensure that advisers across Scotland can give the best possible debt advice. Families have been hit brutally hard by rising costs, squeezed wages and inadequate social security and it is more important than ever to ensure they have access to the best possible advice and information to help stabilise their finances.”

 

Peter Costello, CEO of Money Advice Scotland, added;

“Being in debt can be incredibly overwhelming, and taking the first step to get help can be daunting. Thankfully, debt advisers provide invaluable support to people in financial difficulty, and we are delighted to have worked with Citizens Advice Scotland and the Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland to launch this new handbook which will be a fantastic resource for the money and debt advice sector. Making sure advisers have comprehensive and up-to-date knowledge at a time when more and more people need their help is essential to ensuring they can give the best possible advice, and this handbook will serve as another tool that allows advisers to do this.”

ENDS

For further details or interviews please contact Tony Hutson,  Senior Officer – Press and Media, Citizens Advice Scotland on 07774 751655 or email  [email protected] 

The new Debt Advice Handbook Scotland is available free online at and for sale in hard copy.

 

About the partners 

Citizens Advice Scotland, the Extra Help Unit and 59 member bureaux together form Scotland’s largest independent advice network. In 2022-23 the Citizens Advice Service network helped over 187,000 clients in Scotland and dealt with almost 670,000 advice issues.  With support from the network clients gained over £142 million. 

The Child Poverty Action Group works on behalf of the more than one in four children in the UK growing up in poverty. It campaigns to strengthen public commitment to end child poverty, ensures government adopts evidence-based policy solutions to child poverty and uses its expertise to maximise family incomes. 

Money Advice Scotland is Scotland’s money charity. We exist to help people in debt, support money advisers, and influence policy. Our mission is to be the driving force towards financial wellbeing for the people of Scotland

 

Further details

The Debt Advice Handbook Scotland details the key stages of money advice, including on interviewing clients, establishing liability, prioritising debts, preparing a financial statement, negotiating with creditors and dealing with bailiffs. Emphasis is placed on taking due care of vulnerable clients and making sure that any payment arrangements agreed are appropriate. There is a focus on sustainable credit arrangements that do not affect a client’s abilities to pay essential living expenses and priority debts.

It is set to become the go-to tool for specialist debt advisers in accessing primary legislation and regulations and is also a reliable guide and training aid for the new debt adviser. Advisers who undertake debt advice alongside other sorts of advice work or other professional disciplines – such as social workers and housing officers – will find this handbook an indispensable resource.

Fully indexed and cross referenced to law, official guidance and to court and tribunal decisions, tactical guidance and examples are included throughout. The online handbook will be updated regularly in order to help you give the most accurate advice.