South Ayrshire Council News

Debt Campaign

South Ayrshire Council’s Trading Standards Service revealed figures this week that show that debt levels in South Ayrshire are running at an all time high. The number of clients seeking help has risen by 14% in the last year with the average person owing approximately £11,000.

With large increases in utility bills expected and a slowdown in the economy, debt advisors expect to see an increased demand for their services in the coming year.

Carole Parker, Money Advice Development Officer for Trading Standards said, “Anyone can have money problems. Whilst credit is fine if used sensibly, too often people find themselves unable to pay their credit card bills, utility bills, catalogues, personal loans, council tax, mortgage or rent. When you consider that there are more credit cards than people in the UK it’s not surprising that credit cards are the major debt that our clients have.”

“Increasingly, we are seeing clients that have used their credit cards to service their other debts. Unfortunately, this is a short-term solution as the monthly payments increase to a level where the person cannot afford to service them. The common response unfortunately to spiralling debt is to ignore the problem instead of dealing with it. Debt doesn’t just go away on its own.”

Carole continued, “Often people are keen to learn more about bankruptcy or the claims made regularly in TV adverts to ‘use Government legislation to wipe out debts’ or ‘be debt free in 3 years’. Sequestration, trust deeds and the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) are options available, however it depends on someone’s individual circumstances as to which course of action is best for them. Bankruptcy is always the last option as any assets that a client will have may be sold and this could include their homes. Our trained debt advisors can give expert advice on resolving debt problems. We can contact creditors and try to negotiate reduced repayments that people can afford. Assistance can also be given to apply for time to pay through the courts. Our service is not to help people get out of paying their debt but offering practical solutions to repaying their debts.”

This week South Ayrshire Trading Standards launch their latest campaign titled “Is Your Debt Getting You Down?” and they urge anyone in South Ayrshire who is experiencing debt problems to contact them immediately to gain expert debt advice.

Over the next couple of weeks there will be adverts on local buses and at bus shelters as well as adverts that can be heard on the local radio highlighting the telephone number and address to contact for this help. Information material will also be distributed to popular community contact points

Councillor Peter Convery, responsible for Trading Standards issues said “Last year over 1,300 South Ayrshire residents contacted Trading Standards Debt Advisors for help with debts totalling £13 million. Very rarely is the cause reckless spending. More often it’s because people lose their jobs or have marital difficulties or they cannot work because of illness or other changes in their circumstances. This campaign is to promote to our residents that help is available locally. Often people do not know where to turn and are attracted to claims made in some adverts to take on further loans or approach unknown companies. Instead we provide a free and confidential money advice/debt counselling service”.

One South Ayrshire resident that used the service said, “I fell behind with the monthly payments for my council tax and other bills. I added it all up one night and realised I had over £15,000 of debt and I knew I couldn’t pay the amounts the companies wanted. I just didn’t know what to do and was worried as I had seen a television program showing bailiffs going in to peoples’ houses. I had been frightened to open my mail and eventually this ended up with my bank account being frozen. I had no money and people told me my wages could be arrested! Then one day I saw an advert on my local bus and contacted Trading Standards. The Debt Advisor from Trading Standards was a great help and sorted out payment arrangements with all my creditors. It will take some time to pay it all back but now I feel back in control of my finance and this has given me my life back. My debt problems were affecting everything – I was constantly shouting at the kids and rowing with my husband and couldn’t sleep. Even just talking to the advisor at the beginning lifted so much pressure from me.”

Help is available at the offices at Trading Standards in Ayr or through local surgeries that are held in Maybole and Girvan.

If you require advice and assistance, contact a Trading Standards Debt Advisor on Ayr 61-60-60