‘People should seek advice’

Speaking at the CAB’s annual general meeting recently, director Stephen Saddington highlighted the impact the recession is having on people’s lives and the local community.

“Although debt enquiries have dropped slightly over the 2011/12 period, the bureau has seen many more people who are gradually slipping into financial difficulties because of the impact of falling or standstill incomes,” he said.

“The effect of rising prices and standstill or declining incomes means household incomes are being squeezed at both ends.”

Mr Saddington said they had seen an increasing number of people being duped by scams and urged them to check any leaflets, calls or emails with the CAB.

“With the lack of affordable credit availability many clients have been borrowing from doorstep lenders and payday loan companies,” he said.

“This has resulted in people becoming trapped in repaying high interest loans which is further impacting on household budgets.”

“Increasingly we have seen a number of clients falling for a number of scams that have left them further out of pocket, for example with promises of repayments from Payment Protection Insurance, tax rebates and credit card interest.”

Mr Saddington said he was pleased to see many people being ‘resourceful’ in handling pressure on their budgets and urged more people to take advantage of free local advice from their local CAB.

Bassetlaw CAB, on Central Avenue, is open 9.30am-3pm Monday to Wednesday and Friday 9.30am-1pm.

For more information call 0844 8563411.