Over the next week Monmouthshire County Council is launching a new ‘Money Matters’ campaign highlighting the support available to those facing money worries. It is often cited that most households are no more than two or three pay cheques away from financial difficulties, and levels of debt across the UK have been increasing over the last few years. In a recent article* it was quoted that the average UK household now has on average £2,805 in credit card debt alone. A change of circumstances can lead any household to start feeling the pinch.
On top of this, the Covid-19 pandemic has brought lots of change to our lives – it has been a worrying time for so many, made worse if you have being dealing with concerns about your income or have had difficulty paying your bills or your rent/mortgage. But there is help and support available to you. Working alongside Citizens’ Advice Monmouthshire, Mind Monmouthshire, Gateway Credit Union, Monmouthshire Housing Association, Pobl, Melin, town councils and a wide range of other organisations, Monmouthshire County Council is aiming to make it easier to take the first step in seeking help.
Guidance on available support to help with money, food, utility bills, housing, mental health, and many more related areas can be found on monmouthshire.gov.uk/money-matters.
Monmouthshire County Council Councillor Lisa Dymock, cabinet member for Community Wellbeing said: “Money worries can affect anyone, whatever your circumstances, but the most important thing you can do it to seek advice as soon as possible. Early help can stop a temporary situation becoming a long-term problem. But, it is important to also stress that it is never too late to seek support.
“There is more support available than people realise but finding out what can help your individual situation needs can be a challenge when you are already worried and under pressure,” added Cllr. Dymock. “The Money Matters campaign has put a wide range of help under one virtual roof via our website – monmouthshire.gov.uk/money-matters – and our staff at the Contact Centre are also available on 01633 644644 to start you on the road to finding the right support. If you live near Abergavenny, Caldicot, Chepstow, Monmouth or Usk you can also pop into the Community Hubs and someone will be able to work with you to establish what support is available. Money concerns rarely go away by themselves, so I would ask anyone who is reading this and thinking that they may need support to get in touch, our team can help.”
Citizens’ Advice Monmouthshire are one of the lead partners in this campaign and can be contacted directly on 0800 702 2020. During January, households across Monmouthshire will be receiving a leaflet outlining the help available, while many local papers, including the South Wales Argus and Monmouthshire Beacon, and Sunshine Radio will be running advertisements to help raise awareness of the support available.
Source: * themoneycharity.org.uk/money-statistics/