Evaluation Scotland Wales
The UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing is taking forward the work of the Financial Capability Strategy Opens in a new window

17% of us - 8.99 million - are over indebted, but only around a third receive help

People in financial difficulties

Financial difficulties can be experienced at all life stages and may be an ongoing feature of a person’s life or only a passing phase. People in financial difficulties are more likely than average to be women, living on lower incomes and have experience of mental health issues.

Work to support people in financial difficulties can be considered from three perspectives:

  • Early intervention to prevent emerging issues from becoming more serious
  • Crisis support to help resolve a debt problem that requires urgent attention
  • Building resilience so that (after crisis support) future debt problems become less likely.

Latest News

  • Friday 2 August 2019

    Developing financial rules of thumb: MAS responds to the Financial Advice Market Review

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Financial capability in action

Webinar: integrated financial capability and debt advice

Explore findings on how best to support clients in improving their financial capability alongside debt advice using integrated advice.

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How can we help people who are reliant on credit to make ends meet?

Nine million adults often use a credit card, overdraft or borrow money to buy food or pay bills because they’ve run short of money. Explore evidence on what drives over-reliance on credit and how to help.

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Supportive Council Tax recovery guidance for local authorities

Council Tax debt is now the most common reason that people seek debt advice. The Money Advice Service has published guidance for supportive Council Tax recovery, including good practice and case studies.

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People in financial difficulties strategy

Priorities for The Strategy include early intervention, increasing engagement, building a savings habit and measuring the impact of debt advice.

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Life stages across the UK