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Difficulty paying your bills - Advice from Hinckley Citizens Advice Bureau

Debt is something that many people find themselves in, and a walk down any High Street shows the large amount of credit that is readily available. Whilst many people can live within their means most of the time, it only takes a small blip in your life for your financial situation to change suddenly. Once you have missed one payment, be it rent, mortgage, HP, loan or mail order catalogue it is much harder to make two payments the next time, and then the situation rapidly deteriorates. Letters start arriving demanding payment, and this increases stress levels. More letters arrive and before long people who ignore them discover the hard way that the debt is not going to go away. The next step for creditors trying to recover money may be initiate court proceedings, resulting in County Court Summons and/or Judgement, and possibly a visit from the bailiffs.

But help is at hand: Hinckley Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) offers a Quality Marked completely FREE Money Advice service to clients. Compare this to the companies that conduct high profile advertising campaigns claiming to help clients to reschedule or write off their debts, for a monthly management fee of up to 20% of the debt. Frequently interest is still applied to the debt and clients can also be encouraged to have a loan to consolidate their debts. Whilst this may be a satisfactory result for some clients, it is not suitable for everyone.

Clients frequently approach CAB having found themselves unable to keep to the unrealistic payment schedules that such companies have negotiated, and as a result are deeper in debt and may even be at risk of losing their home. The money advice service offered by CAB can range from calculating a clients income and expenditure, allowing them to see where their money goes to each week, to a self help pack which contains information on how to prioritise debts and example letters to creditors. There is also perhaps a misconception that people getting into debt are unemployed or on very low levels of income. In fact, 60% of our clients are working full time.

Do you have difficulty paying your bills?
Do you want help negotiating with rent and mortgage arrears, council tax arrears, benefit overpayments, arrears of gas, electricity, telephone, water rates, TV licence, credit cards, bank loans?

Please DON’T PAY for getting help with debts

FREE debt management plans drawn up
FREE advice on Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) and bankruptcy

We will explore all of your options and assess what is best for you.

Contact us for expert help before you sign up for help with a fee paying debt management company or try and consolidate your debts or get a doorstep or logbook loan, for example. These companies are in business to make money out of you! The sooner you contact us the better you will feel.

Contact Details and Drop in Advice Sessions for Hinckley Citizens Advice Bureau

Mon, Wed, Thurs, Friday: 10 - 2 pm (on Tues we do follow up work by appointment only)
Advice Line: 0844 826 9710 - Operates 10 - 3 pm Mon, Wed, Thurs
Money Advice: 0844 248 0040
Email: advice@hinckley-cab.co.uk
Website: www.adviceguide.org.uk

Outreach services at:
Markfield
Community Centre
Tuesdays 9.30 - 12.30

Earl Shilton
Community House
Fridays 9.30 - 12.30

Loan Sharks
Beware of loan sharks who are operating in the area. If you are a victim or know someone who has used a loan shark (an unlicensed money lender) please get help. The Public Protection Project Team can really help you so contact them by phone, fax or email. The Public Protection Project Team can be contacted on: Tel: 0116 217 9550 Text: Text the words shark loan followed by your message to 60003 (your network standard text rates applies).

Would you like advice on claiming benefits? Would you like someone to check that you are claiming all the benefits you are entitled to be able to maximise your income, which will also help you to manage your money ?

We can also assist you with a wide range of Employment, Consumer, Legal, Relationship and Family law, Tax, Health and Education enquiries.

Last updated : 12/08/2009 09:04:33

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