Responding to the National Audit Office report, Liz Bayram, Chief Executive of AdviceUK said:
“The National Audit Office (NAO) is right: too many people are struggling with essential household bills because they simply don’t know that support is available. Our 700 members who provide free and independent advice regularly help people access social tariffs, negotiate affordable repayment plans and challenge billing issues.
”It is important to recognise that the problem is not just about rising debt. It is that support is often difficult to find, poorly promoted and dependent on people navigating complex systems when they are already under significant financial pressure and stressed.
“Free and independent advice services play a vital role in helping people understand their rights, access support and avoid falling deeper into crisis. But advice services themselves are under increasing pressure as demand continues to spiral whilst their funding continues to decline.
”If regulators and providers want support schemes to reach the people they are designed for, they must work more closely with trusted advice organisations and ensure that help is promoted proactively and with clear signposting. The solution lies in a government-wide advice strategy and Government investment in free and independent advice services and their workforce which are approaching breaking point. It’s common sense. This will not only support people to avoid spiralling debt, it will also save public funds by reducing the risk of poor health, loss of housing and all the other impacts debt can cause if not tackled early.
”We are also calling for the swift introduction of a debt relief scheme for energy debt accrued during the Energy Crisis. We urge Ofgem to announce when the scheme will be introduced and how advice services will be supported in referring potential beneficiaries.”
Press contacts
press@adviceuk.org.uk or 07955 296206
