Notting Hill counters credit crunch

Notting Hill Housing is introducing financial measures to help those hardest hit by the credit crunch

Notting Hill Housing is introducing a raft of new financial inclusion measures for residents to help those hardest hit by the credit crunch take control of their finances and plan for a better future.

The approach, unprecedented in the housing sector, will provide a wide variety of money management support to reach as many people as possible, whatever their circumstances. The services will include:

* Advice and guidance drop-in service available from CHAS Central London (Opens in new window) advisors at Notting Hill head office three times per week between 9am to 5pm
* A money management customer hotline
* A six week money mentoring course leading to certification and conferring the skills to coach others, being held between 5pm-8pm
* Estate-based money management surgeries, open to all.

Services are available to both renting and shared ownership customers.

Kristell Marcantoni, Credit Operations Manager at Notting Hill explains the aims of the programme "As the price of basics like food and fuel go up and up, our customers need to know how to manage their money well. We want to give customers the confidence, knowledge and tools they need to take control of their situation and break out of the debt cycle. We'll show them how to do it, but they need to do it themselves."

Stuart Freeman, Director of Advice Services at CHAS, believes the new 360 degree approach is a timely introduction "We have seen an explosion of the debt situation in the past 12 months. In 2007 we provided money management advice to over 5200 people compared to 4000 people in 2006. Once people get debt, they simply don't know how to get out of it."

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