The service will assist people who have difficulty managing their money, or who have got into debt, to deal with this problem. There will be ongoing support offered by the service to make sure that the client is assisted to sort out their debt problem or manage their money better.

The service can:

• Offer you a financial assessment to check that you are getting all the money you are entitled to eg benefits, tax credits
• Assist you in preparing a financial assessment so you can see clearly what money you have coming in and going out each week
• Help you to prioritise your debts
• Help you to arrange repayments to the people to whom you owe money
• Provide presentations about dealing with money problems, to professionals and groups of people with a learning disability

If staff cannot answer your enquiry, they will do their best to refer you to an agency which can help.

The service aims to work to high standards, reflecting The Action Group’s recent achievement of Charter Mark. This means that you should always expect:

• Prompt action on your enquiry
• Accurate and up-to-date advice
• Clear agreement about what work will be done on your case
• A realistic view of the possible result
• Effective and active help at all times

If you think you can use this free, confidential and independent service, please ring The Action Group on 0131 475 2315 and ask to speak to a money adviser.

You can arrange to see an adviser either at their office, where there are private meeting rooms, or, if it is easier for you, they can come to your home.

Lothian Income Maximisation Project - 2008 [PDF, 150kB]

Project Research and Evaluation Report - Feb 2007 [PDF, 200kB]

This report is produced as part of research and evaluation project funded by the Scottish Executive.