Help is at hand for pounding festive financial hangover

Jan 20 2010 by Lynn Jolly, Paisley Daily Express

NOW that the dust has settled on the festive celebrations many Buddies will be left with a huge financial hangover.

And a financial lifeline has been thrown to anyone in Renfrewshire who is battling with festive debt.

Renfrewshire Council has organised a week-long series of events to help people with every aspect of making the most of their money and managing their debts.

Money Week is packed with advice sessions, training events and workshops and runs from Monday, January 25 until Friday, January 29.

Councillor Allan Noon, convener the council’s General Management and Finance Policy Board, said: “Money Week is about reaching as many people as possible with the advice and information that they need.

“We’re targeting children, teachers, employers and employees, students, older people and people with disabilities.

“As the credit crunch bites it’s important for people to make sure that they are getting all the money they are entitled to, that they make a budget for what they’ve got and they prioritise which debts they should clear first.

“Our specialist advisors can help with everything from filling in benefit forms to offering people facing redundancy advice on career development, high quality training and even starting up their own business.”

The main event of Money Week is an all-day event on Wednesday, January 27, at Paisley Town Hall.

This runs from 10am until 7pm and Express readers can drop in and speak to staff from Advice Works, JobCentre Plus, The Pensions Service, the council’s Housing and council tax benefits teams, trading standards officers, the Visual Impairment Unit and many more organisations.

Other events include: ROAR’s (Reaching Older Adults Renfrewshire) benefit wise sessions for older adults; the Disability Rights Day, dealing with everything from Disability Living Allowance to Incapacity Benefit, managing money as a student and the Show Me The Money school tour.

An information bus will be touring Renfrewshire for those who can’t get to any of the events.

A range of organisations are involved with Money Week, including: the Financial Services Authority, JobCentre Plus, Learning and Teaching Scotland, Reid Kerr College, Renfrewshire Council, Renfrewshire Citizens Advice Bureau, the Renfrewshire Community Health Partnership, Renfrewshire Workforce Plus and Skills Development Scotland.

l Full details of all the events are available at www.renfrewshire.gov.uk/money and you can also phone 0141 842 4433 for more information.money and you can also phone 0141 842 4433 for more information.