Foundation for Credit Counselling

The Foundation for Credit Counselling, based in Leeds, is a registered charity whose purpose is to assist people in financial difficulty by providing free, impartial and realistic debt advice.

Consumer Credit Counselling Service

The Foundation for Credit Counselling is the umbrella charity for Consumer Credit Counselling Service in the United Kingdom. Through its free national telephone service, ten regional centres and online CCCS Debt Remedy, CCCS is able to help people with debt problems wherever they live.

Successful formula

Based on a proven and successful formula, our specialist advisory service has already helped thousands of people in the UK by providing counselling on personal budgeting, advice on the wise use of credit and, where appropriate, managing achievable plans, such as a debt management plan (DMP) or an individual voluntary arrangement (IVA), to repay debts.

Working with partner organisations

Through building up partnerships with other empathetic organisations, CCCS aims to point more people in need of help toward the safe haven of its free, efficient and compassionate service. CCCS can offer such organisations a bespoke and recognisable gateway to CCCS Debt Remedy for their website.

We have partnerships with the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, the umbrella organisation whose members account for almost half of the UK’s voluntary sector workforce. Similar partnerships are being developed with unions, including the Union of Shop, Distributive & Allied Workers, with local authorities including housing associations and councils faced with increasing rent and council tax arrears and with armed forces as well as other charities.

Outreach

CCCS staff take part in Outreach, a voluntary staff activity to help disadvantaged people learn basic money skills. Outreach works through: running workshops and advice sessions at drop-in centres, manning stands at council events and supporting initiatives and projects run by other voluntary and third sector organisations, as well as local government. Sometimes the work is outside office hours but generally the aim is to provide a service during the school day as this has been found to be most effective.

CCCS is working with money education charity Credit Action to promote the use of CCCS Debt Remedy by those working for the church. A guide has been created that allows church workers to help those who would not be able to use CCCS Debt Remedy on their own. This promotion of assisted CCCS Debt Remedy has won the support of the Archbishop of Canterbury.