Scottish Government analysts have recently published two reports about money advice in Scotland which may be of interest to you. One is a piece of research into methods of giving money advice and the other is a report about the number of people using face-to-face money advice services during the last financial year.
*Money advice giving methods literature review *
Available at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2009/12/21134623/0
The majority of literature reviewed reported a clear positive impact of debt advice on; benefit uptake; negotiations between debtors and creditors; emotional outlook: levels of stress, health and well being; levels of debt and income; knowledge and understanding; relationships with creditors and family; and student drop-out.
While the impact of debt problems on individuals has been fairly well researched, there is a paucity of systematic empirical evidence on the: impact of different approaches to giving money advice; long term consequences of receiving advice (particularly beyond 12 months); and the relative effects on different population sub groups, individual health, well being and relationships. Specific information about indebtedness and debt advice in Scotland and the economic and community consequences of debt escalation is limited.
The review concludes that there is a need to ensure advice services are equipped to deal with changing user profiles, ‘unknown’ and prolonged need. The review also highlights the benefits of comprehensively measuring and reporting successful outcomes and developing closer working links between debt advice agencies and other related support services such as Primary Care Trusts.
*Money advice statistics 2007/08*
Available at:
www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Social-Welfare/IncomePoverty/moneyadvicestats
Information about publicly funded, face-to-face money advice services is collected through local authorities about services in their area. Figures are collected about the number of new enquires and new cases to these services during the year (An enquiry is someone simply asking for advice, an enquiry becomes a case when the agency has to take some action - such as negotiation, advocacy or representation - to move the case forward).
During data processing several data issues with double counting and incomparability across local authorities were detected. SG Social Inclusion Division and Communities Analytical Services are working to tackle these issues for future years. The issues limit the amount of analysis that it is useful to carry out with these data and mean that caution should be used when making conclusions from the figures.
Enquiries to face-to-face money advice services rose by forty percent between 2007/08 and 2008/09, the period covering the beginning of the current recession. Of the thirty councils which returned information, twenty-five saw an increase in the number of enquiries.
There was also a rise in the number of new cases between 2007/08 and 2008/09 but this was smaller than for new enquiries. The number of new cases rose by six percent and the amount of new debt related to these cases rose by three percent.
The figures also suggest that the following groups of people are over-represented among money advice users:
Women.
People aged 20 to 50. Younger people and the over 50s were
under-represented.
Lone parents.
People who are unemployed or unable to work due to ill health/disability.
People in social rented accommodation and
People with low incomes.
Further information can be obtained from the SG Equalities and Social Inclusion Analysis team:
Telephone: 0131 244 0794
Email: social-justice-analysis@scotland.gsi.gov.uk
ScotStat - the Scottish Government Statistics Group
