Local businesses urged to avail of free, confidential debt advice | Newry Times

Families, individuals and business owners based across the Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council area, experiencing debt or financial issues, are being urged to connect with the free and confidential support available to them.

The pandemic has created a climate for debt.

Since March 2020, the Northern Ireland Statistics and Research Agency (NISRA) has recorded over 10,000 proposed redundancies, its highest annual total on record. 

In addition, the unemployment rate rose to 3.6% in the last quarter of 2020 and many households are turning to benefits for the first time, with the claimant count currently at over 60,000.

Advice NI, Northern Ireland’s largest advice network, is comprised of 69 member organisations.

Any individual or business in Co. Armagh in need of financial advice, particularly when it comes to navigating debt, is encouraged to contact the following member organization, which is involved in providing debt advice:

Community Advice Armagh
9 McCrums Court
Armagh
BT61 7RS

Community Advice Armagh Manager, Donna Morris, said, “The burden of debt is being shouldered by more people than ever before.

“The pandemic has resulted in many households falling behind on essential bills and using credit cards to make debt repayments, with fuel poverty and food banks becoming a feature of local towns.

“However, solutions and support are available. Our highly trained Specialist Debt Advisers, Sam and Christine, are here to talk through your situation, provide you with options and help you through the process of becoming debt-free.

“We helped 191 people dealing with over £2m of debt in Armagh, Banbridge and Craigavon last year.

 “Our service always offers free, confidential, non-judgmental and quality advice.

“If you are struggling with debt during the pandemic and this extended lockdown, you don’t have to face it alone.

“You can contact our Debt Action service by calling the Advice NI Freephone helpline on 0800 915 4604 to speak directly to an adviser between 9 am and 5 pm Monday–Friday. You can also email advice@adviceni.net.”

Advice NI and its member network across Northern Ireland dealt with over half a million enquiries in 2019/20.

In 2020, its debt service dealt with over £28m of debt in more than 7,500 agreements and anticipates that 2021 is set to be an equally challenging year for people, with the effects of the pandemic still being felt.

These free, confidential, and impartial Debt & Money services are funded by the Department for Communities and ultimately aim to help clients to ‘free their future,’ supporting them to address their financial issues head-on.

For more debt advice, click here.

Keep up to date with all the latest Northern Ireland Coronavirus / Covid-19 news HERE.

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Posted by NewryTimes News on Apr 14 2021. Filed under Business, Community. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry