We are pleased to announce that we are taking part in Talk Money Week, an annual awareness campaign coordinated by the Money and Pensions Service to encourage everyone to open up about their money and pensions.
Held from 8 to 12 November, Talk Money Week aims to reduce the stigma around money by encouraging conversations among families, friends, neighbours, customers, colleagues and communities. Talking openly about money can have a huge impact on tackling money worries, and is important for our overall health and relationships. The impact of Covid-19 has made it more important than ever to start conversations about money to look after our financial wellbeing.
We held an information stall at High Wycombe market on Tuesday the 9th to shout about all the ways our charity can help and why this week is so important.
“ It is an important time for us to talk about money,” Anna Day, our Head of Development and Communications at Citizens Advice Bucks shares “..because household debt is rising, and more people are claiming Universal Credit in Bucks as a result of the pandemic. We know households are struggling. We also know being in debt can create huge pressure on households. In turn, it is unsurprising that people can feel mentally unwell, triggered by their debts”.
We want everyone to know there is help at hand. Citizens Advice Bucks provides money and debt advice, and we will be able to help people who are having money problems, whether it is issuing food vouchers, helping to claim benefits, or getting their debts sorted out into affordable monthly repayments. “The most important thing we need to stress is a problem shared is one that can be resolved, and talking about money is so crucial to maintaining our own mental wellbeing”. Anna goes on to say.
Talk Money Week is also an annual opportunity to celebrate the work organisations like us are doing to support the long-term UK Strategy for Financial Wellbeing, launched by the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) in 2020.
Throughout the week there will be activity in Bucks to get more people talking about personal finance issues, and engaging with topics such as saving regularly, planning for retirement, dealing with debt, and teaching children and young people about managing money.
Caroline Siarkiewicz, Chief Executive at the Money and Pensions Service says:
“As we continue to respond to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, financial wellbeing remains key to the UK’s recovery: a financially healthy nation is good for individuals, communities, business, and the economy. Talk Money Week provides a key opportunity for the nation to break the taboo of discussing money and finances. We are pleased to see so many organisations encouraging conversations about money – from pocket money to pensions – to help people across the country make better informed and more positive decisions about their finances.”
For more information on Talk Money Week visit www.maps.org.uk/talk-money-week/