Debt Awareness Week

This week is Debt Awareness Week and we’re reminding colleagues and customers of services we have to help customers struggling to manage their debts.

It’s not easy to talk about money worries but if you know someone who needs some help, we can connect them with the right resources and support services. This year we’ve helped our customers reduce their debts by an average of £2,122.

Sally* is among our customers who has received debt and money management advice from our team and says this helped turn her life around:: “I couldn’t have done all the hard work involved on my own. My community impact advisor was always available to talk and help me connect with the necessary resources to get my life back on track.”

We caught up with, Community Impact manager Dave Brereton who explained that supporting customers with debt often depends on the customers’ individual circumstances, the type of debt they have and their income.

He said: “There are different options available to us when it comes to advising customers. We look at each case individually to understand the best approach, this involves completing an assessment and an income and expenditure and then working out the best way forward.

“That may mean giving help to make money go further, reduce debt, maximise income, access benefits and more.”

Research shows that 86% of people with debt feel ashamed of their situation and often hold back from seeking help. This year, debt awareness week focuses on tackling stigma, encouraging open conversations and sharing ways to seek support.

Money worries are not just financial problems they can cause relationship problems, people to lose homes and families to break down.

Visit our need a hand pages for more details on how we can help.

📞 For more information or debt advice, contact 0161 3935488 or email communityservices@fcho.co.uk our team is here to help you manage your debt problems.

*Name has been changed to protect identity.