More than 50 new jobs are being created in the North East as the cost-of-living crisis triggers the creation of a new Government debt advice division.
The new jobs will be based at the new national debt advice service delivered by Citizens Advice Northumberland and Citizens Advice North Tyneside, launched with Government funds through the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS). Citizens Advice in Northumberland and North Tyneside worked with six other local Citizens Advice to win one of only three national contracts awarded by MaPS, which is investing £228m into debt advice services in England over the next three years.
The two Citizens Advice centres are recruiting for upwards of 30 jobs in Ashington, Northumberland, and more than 20 jobs in North Tyneside ahead of the launch of the national debt advice service next February. The service will provide debt advice through phone, webchat, email and video for people across England. It comes after a surge in people reporting debt problems to Citizens Advice and other charities.
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Abi Conway, chief executive of Citizens Advice Northumberland, said : “Access to free, impartial and high-quality debt advice can make a real difference to individuals who receive it, and as the cost-of-living crisis deepens, we know that demand for this advice is only going to increase. We are delighted to have received this much-needed funding and are thrilled that it is coming to the North East.”
Citizens Advice Northumberland’s newly published Impact Report 2021-22 showed that debt-related problems accounted for 26% of all issues it tackled in the last year – a rise of more than 5% on the year before, resulting in it managing and dealing with over 6,600 client debts totalling almost £12m. The charity is refurbishing offices next to its Ashington administrative hub to house its centralised call centre for debt advice in England.
Mark Almond, chief executive at North Tyneside Citizens Advice, said: “Not only is this good news for the thousands of people who are in need of debt advice, it is also brilliant news for people who are looking to work in good, well-paid jobs in the advice sector for high calibre, nationally recognised charities. Last year North Tyneside Citizens Advice helped over 3,700 debt clients with 32,000 debt problems.”
Applications for the new jobs can be made through the Citizens Advice websites for Northumberland and North Tyneside.
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