The ethos of The Debt Advice Network is that we will help anyone who asks for our help.  We are committed to finding the right solution for every client. 

 

We provide face-to-face advice in the home or mutually agreed upon place, usually within 72 hours of being asked, to anyone who needs help in dealing with debt issues. We follow the meeting up by providing realistic, affordable and sustainable debt solutions from which our clients can choose which best suits them. We continue by following through and providing on-going mentoring and advocacy. For those clients who prefer not to meet face to face we offer a secure and robust electronic communication system.

 

We assist in contacting creditors, dealing with correspondence, attending hearings, ensuring clients receive their full, in and out of work, benefit entitlements and generally doing anything possible to deal with their debt issues. As a result of our unique delivery model of face-to-face advice in the home or other non-office location, we are able to reach many people who feel socially isolated including those who are disabled or vulnerable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our assistance to clients includes coaching sessions in money management and budgeting to raise awareness of the consequences of entering into unaffordable credit agreements which exacerbate debt problems and can swallow up all disposable income. Education and early intervention often prevents clients from falling into unaffordable credit situations.

 

We provide outreach services for debt, money, housing and benefit advice to locations such as prisons, projects run by Jobcentre Plus, housing associations and companies who are planning redundancies, a practice that is becoming increasingly common. Much of this work is of a preventative nature, ensuring that people are aware of potential debt situations which can be avoided with proper education and planning

 

Our help and support enables people with debt issues to move on with their lives, which often means they are able to secure or resume employment as preoccupation with debt can lead to employment issues such as absenteeism and presenteeism. With our specialist advice we are able to assist clients to retain their homes as mortgage or rent payments are often the first to be missed. Alleviating the stress and associated mental health issues caused by debt reduces dependency on health services and allows family units to remain together. Money problems or worries tend to have a harmful impact on family life. Our service includes on-going advocacy, mentoring and support, providing both immediate and prolonged support to our clients and their families.

 

The majority of our customer- facing staff is trained in First Aid in Mental Health and our goal is to offer this training to all our staff at every level. Mental Health First Aid up skills them to identify common mental health problems, causes, symptoms and treatments, and allows them to:

 

o   recognise distress;

o   recognise the difference between Therapy and First Aid;

o   be confident in administering help in a First Aid situation;

o   provide initial help and guide a person towards appropriate support.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

With the alleviation of debt worries comes a confidence which can be infectious and can help to give a person, family or community confidence and a sense of pride. Our clients who have been helped often try to help other people, and we provide on-going mentoring to ensure that our support is felt both in the long and short terms. The training services which we provide to our advisors and volunteers mean that more people are aware of and will face up to debt problems.

 

One of the major problems for a person in debt is knowing where to go to get the right advice for FREE. When people work together for the good of each other and the community, superhuman results can be achieved.

 

Our goal is to bring real help to real people where they need it, more importantly at the exact time they need it.