Thousands of vulnerable people struggling with personal debts could lose access to free specialist face-to face help as a result of a government shake-up that seeks to move more services online, advisers have said.
Some areas could have more than half of their debt adviser workforce made redundant, with local debt advice charities forced to abandon in-person services or even risk closure as a result of the plans to put debt advice services out to tender.
Despite funding for debt advice increasing from £51m a year pre-pandemic to £77m, from April the bulk of the money will go to three national call centres, while cash for local services that provide face-to-face help will be halved.
Advisers say the shift away from in-person appointments will
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