Looks like the end......... CAB & Financial Inclusion Fund

immoral_angeluk · 26 January 2011 at 7:05PM

Penelope_Penguin wrote: »

It needn;t be critical, though. It can be purely factual "due to funding coming to an end, Your CAB will be losing funding, and xxx debt workers". Then the public will do the "political" stuff, of writing to the media, MPs and Councillors.

True, and trust me I want to scream from the rooftops and march rounds the streets but....
For what it's worth, I'm a FIF debt specialist, and also an approved intermediary, and should find out soon whether I'll actually have a job past march.

immoral_angeluk · 26 January 2011 at 7:25PM

If anyone on here is on twitter, I would be really grateful if you could retweet my tweet trying to urge the CAB to start a campaign... we need to start believing in people power again!!

@immoral_angeluk Dear @CitizensAdvice PLEASE do a national campaign showing the impact of all the cuts/funding losses on the public! #savetheCAB - pls RT!

fatbelly · 26 January 2011 at 10:01PM

Debt unit closing in Sheffield:

Big Society let down, say Sheffield’s Labour MPs

soupdragon10 · 27 January 2011 at 11:44AM

Sent an e-mail to my MP yesterday, and got a reply from one of her staff basically saying that there would still be people to help and support and that it is the job of parliament and the community to ensure people get the help they need. She will also pass this on to the minister.

I have replied, asking for clarification about where this specialist advice might come from if CAB do not have specialist debt workers, as I can't see an army of volunteers magically appearing with the specialist knowledge and expertise.

Maybe if more people were aware of this (I must admit until I read this thread yesterday I certainly wasn't) more MP's could be contacted so that at least concerns were being noted.

Falze · 27 January 2011 at 4:46PM

immoral_angeluk wrote: »

If anyone on here is on twitter, I would be really grateful if you could retweet my tweet trying to urge the CAB to start a campaign... we need to start believing in people power again!!

Will retweet, but it wont reach many, as i have so few follower

debt_doctor · 28 January 2011 at 12:13PM

..... and now news from Nottingham and London.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/jan/27/citizens-advice-services-face-closure

DD

Bardo_Pond · 28 January 2011 at 1:31PM

Just wondering if any FIF advisers have picked up on this from the Parliament website discussed on the 27 Jan 2011??:

Kate Green (Stretford and Urmston) (Lab): Will the Leader of the House arrange a statement on the replacement for the financial inclusion fund, which funds independent advice agencies to give debt advice, and which we have learned will close at the end of March? That means that the local citizens advice bureau in my borough of Trafford will be forced to reduce the number of cases that it can handle by 500. Please can we urgently be told what Ministers intend to do to ensure that good quality debt advice can be continued?
Sir George Young: The hon. Lady is quite right that the Government have decided that the fund to which she refers will be wound up. We are in the process of developing a free, national finance advice service, and I should like to write to her, or to ask the Minister responsible to do so, with further details of that service.

fatbelly · 28 January 2011 at 2:14PM

More lay-offs:

Coventry CAB

York

fermi · 28 January 2011 at 2:20PM

Some unrelated but better news:

OFT NEWS - 35 DMP firms surrender licenses & 15 more facing action from the OFT

At least there will be a few less "vultures" to prey on those that can't get advice now....

Former_MSE_Wendy · 28 January 2011 at 6:34PM

Hi all

I've been meaning to drop you all a quick note all week, sorry for the delay.

Thanks for sending Martin a link to the thread, he’s asked me to send a quick reply to say how annoyed we are that the FIF money (amongst others) is not being renewed for debt advisors around the UK. Martin has mentioned a few times in his speeches (eg the political party conferences and treasury select sessions last year) that CAB’s budget is being slashed and if anyone has a breakdown on what this will be nationally it’d be great if you could PM it to me.

For those seeking debt advice of course the CCCS and National Debtline are still available and hopefully all CABs find a way to carry on running via other funds and their excellent volunteers. Martin was also due to meet Consumers Minister Ed Davey this week but it was postponed, although he will be sure to raise the subject with him (as one of many topics he wants to discuss) when the new meeting is arranged, so any send me any useful quick stats that you think we should pass on.

Thanks guys,

Wendy

Looks like the end......... CAB & Financial Inclusion Fund

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