Beware of the Debt Collector Andrew Horne Operations Manager Scotland

Addaction A charity with over 100 substance misuse services across the UK Over the past three years we have developed Addaction Scotland with services in Glasgow, Ayrshire, Dundee and Borders. Projects include direct access, community rehabs, SMART Recovery, Family work and employability.

Debt is like any other trap, easy enough to get into, but hard enough to get out of. Henry Wheeler Shaw

Financial Inclusion Project – Feb 2007 Addaction approached the HBOS Foundation in 2006 to fund a service working with people around their money problems. Across our 100 plus UK projects we had considerable anecdotal evidence of people getting into real problems because of money issues. These problems included homelessness, relapse and legal problems. HBOS Foundation agreed to grant Addaction £100,000 over a two and half years for the project.

Aims and Objectives The aim of the service is to assist people with their money problems. The objectives are to work with service users to minimise their debt and increase their income. In addition the project holds training sessions with Addaction Scotland staff so that they better understand money problems for service users.

The process We agreed with HBOS Foundation that we would recruit a skilled finance worker to work across the Addaction Scotland services. The work would include surgeries and staff briefing/training sessions. The crucial part of the work would be to work with a range of agencies including CABs, Money Matters, Welfare Rights, and law centres.

Challenges faced by People Rent Arrears Debt collectors Wrong benefits Crisis Loans Mortgage arrears Court Appearances Filling out application forms

The work itself In depth financial assessment with as much paper work as the service user has available. Written permission to act on a persons behalf. Hundreds of phone calls and letters. Be patient and be polite. Be assertive Get to like the musick and vivaldi in particular.

Case History Tom was made homeless after relationship breakdown. £7000 worth of debt with 4 creditors. Addaction Scotland negotiated £1 a month payment for each creditor for 6 months to be reviewed. All threatening letters stopped. After 4 months Tom is sticking to his repayment plan. He has stopped drinking and is no longer on antidepressants.

If I owe you a pound, I have a problem; but if I owe you a million, the problem is yours. John Maynard Keynes

Training for staff included Simple house hold budgets Understanding Incapacity Benefit Income Support Housing Benefits Council Tax

Achievements Reduced payments with creditors Bank account set up Introducing Credit Unions (Pollok and Glasgow City Council). Direct Debit payments. Advocating at benefit appeal hearings Helping people budget for coming off benefit and going on to work. Helped 69 people and delivered training to 102 staff.

Conclusions Money problems can really affect recovery Holistic assessment should include key questions regarding money matters Care plans should include a section on finance where appropriate. Key workers should help services users to access specialist money advice. Where possible larger services or groups of services should explore having a financial inclusion worker. Services should develop close links with CAB’s, Welfare Rights Officers and Credit Unions.

For further info Debbie McAroy Tel:

Money frees you from doing things you dislike. Since I dislike doing nearly everything, money is handy. Groucho Marx If you think nobody cares if you're alive, try missing a couple of card payments. Anon