The new Money Advice Service in Scotland – A free, unbiased, clear & confidential service
Money Advice that makes a difference - helping everyone make the most of their money
Citizens Advice Bureaux are now delivering face-to-face Money Advice sessions across Scotland, to help everyone make the most of their money. We want to help people to take control of their finances.
Our new service is not designed to replace current CAB debt advice provision, which provides casework, crisis debt management, income maximization and negotiation with creditors, but to complement it and to ensure that people do not get into crisis situations, by enabling them to make the right financial decisions before a crisis is reached.
The Money Advice Service helps people make financial decisions by covering areas such as:
• budgeting weekly or monthly spending.
• saving and borrowing, insuring and protecting customers and their families
• retirement planning
• understanding tax and welfare benefits
• jargon-busting – explaining the technical language used in the financial services industry.
The Money Advice Service is completely sales-free and does not provide regulated advice or recommend specific products or services. We don’t sell anything on behalf of anyone. We’re here to help people make informed choices.
Who is it aimed at?
Many people are at risk of making poor financial choices, and our service is available for a wide variety of people. The face to face sessions are particularly designed for those who are most vulnerable, and we provide the service in conjunction with the other ways that people can get advice from the money advice service, such as the new Money Advice Service website – www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk - or over the telephone by calling 0300 500 5000.
What happens at a Money Advice Service session?
During a session the Money Adviser will:
• explain the Money Advice Service to the customer
• explore the issue by asking relevant questions
• give full information and guidance on all relevant areas
• give customer details of how to take the next steps – e.g. comparison websites etc.
• give relevant leaflets, factsheets or other literature to the customer
• assess customer’s other needs and refer to relevant internal or external agencies where appropriate
• confirm guidance in writing where appropriate.
• formulate and produce an action plan for the customer, where appropriate.
A Money Advice Service session should take no more than 45 minutes.
The Money Advice Service CAB contact for the Dumfries & Galloway area, and all of Ayrshire, is:
Jim McDade
Money Adviser
Money Advice Service
DAGCAS
81-85 Irish Street
Dumfries DG1 2PQ
(t) 01387 266193
(f) 01387 253212
jim.mcdade@dagcas.org
www.dagcas.info