Citizens Advice Bassetlaw has responded to the government announcement on debt breathing space and interest-free loans. Karen Whitlam, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice Bassetlaw, noted: “Improvements to the breathing space scheme and a proposal for an interest-free-loan scheme are welcome news from Treasury.
“We expect this lead to be a call to action to the public and private sectors, and to regulators, to tackle the misery of debt and help more than one million people who are forced to turn to high-cost credit.
“The government should now reinforce these initiatives by overhauling its own debt collection practices, including regulating bailiffs. It should also ensure specialist debt advice is readily available for people alongside breathing space and that the Financial Conduct Authority cap the cost of rent-to-own agreements by April 2019.
Citizens Advice’s specialist debt team can be contacted directly by Bassetlaw clients on their new separate debt mobile telephone number: 07808 770288 — please leave a message with your contact details for them to get back to you within two working days.
The Welfare Rights Team at Citizens Advice Bassetlaw provide advice and support to those affected by cancer or dementia, where they work in partnership with Macmillan and their local partners, Aurora and the Alzheimer’s Society. To arrange an appointment with this team, please contact 07889 726958.
This time of the year is when the charity offers free, confidential and impartial energy checks to see if they can get a better deal for you and save you money on your fuel bills. If you would like them to do a free check for you, please visit either of their Worksop or Retford offices and ask about this service.
They also have a generalist advice service where they can provide free advice and information about welfare rights, family and relationship, consumer, debt, work and housing issues. Specialist teams are Citizens Advice’s Money Advice Service who assist clients’ who struggle to repay loans, benefit overpayments, pay day loans or rent arrears etc.
For information and advice, contact Citizens Advice Bassetlaw Telephone service: 03444 111 444 (available Monday to Friday, from 10.00am to 4.00pm).
A drop-in service at the Worksop office based in The Annexe, Queens Building, Potter Street, Worksop (next to the Savoy Cinema) is available:
- Monday — 9.30am to 3.00pm
- Wednesday — 9.30am to 3.00pm
- Friday — 9.30am to 1.00pm
Or at the Retford office at 17b The Square, Retford, it is available:
- Tuesday — 10.00am to 2.00pm
- Thursday — 10.00am to 2.00pm