Birmingham Settlement
Units 4-7
Alma House
Newtown Shopping Centre
Birmingham B19 2AB
Tel: 0121 250 3000
Fax: 0121 250 3050
Our Community Money Advice Centre (CMAC) offers free, confidential and independent advice to anyone who lives within Birmingham City boundaries. Backed by a Matrix Mark and members of the Institute of Money Advisers, we provide specialist help in both debt and welfare benefits. Our advisers are paid, trained and experienced staff who understand that being in debt can be stressful and difficult.
Drop in
Our drop-in surgery at the Alma House site runs Monday and Wednesday mornings from 9.30 am. There is no need to book but individuals are advised to arrive between 9:00 and 9:30am to register. We also offer a surgery at the Centre for the Aston Family on Fridays which is by appointment. Please call us on 0121 250 3000 for details or to book an appointment. At a brief interview an adviser will assess whether a problem can be dealt with there and then, or whether it would be better to make an appointment or refer the case to another agency.
Casework
Once someone becomes a client of the Money Advice Centre, an adviser will take details of their debts and help draw up a list of income and expenditure. This helps us and the client to work out what they can and can’t afford to pay. We will then prioritise the debts, deal with the most important ones first (like rent or council tax or gas), then help work out other repayments (like store cards and catalogue debts) and negotiate with creditors. If a client has to go to court, we’ll normally be able to represent them. If part of the debt problem is due to not being paid the correct benefits, then we’ll help to resolve this too.
Outreach and Training
This element of Money Advice enables those who would not usually access mainstream services to benefit from them. Our specialist Money Advisers visit clients at various locations across Birmingham, supporting them with financial advice and debt management.
Probation Services
We have recently begun working with clients of the West Midlands Probation Service, providing tailored assistance with debt, benefits and financial literacy. We support groups including offenders, individuals on license and those on probation. The team are currently working in the areas of Wolverhamton, Stourbridge, Walsall and Solihull within Greater West Midlands. In Birmingham we are partnering six offices in Saltley, Perry Barr, Selly Oak, Sparkbrook, Erdington and Harborne. We visit two additional offices in Birmingham city centre on Lower Essex Street and in Greencoat House. This is a unique service aims to support the reintegration of offenders into society, so that they can achieve financial stability.
Older People
Money Advisers are providing expert support to older people in the local community. This service is offered as part of our Ageing Well Programme and helps to promote independent living among older people. We work in partnership with a number of organisations to provide money advice to older people across the City.
Vulnerable Adults
A specialist Money Adviser visits vulnerable women at hostels and safe houses in Birmingham providing debt and welfare benefits advice. Clients of Reaching Out include those who have suffered domestic violence, sexual abuse, those who are exiting the sex trade, suffering mental illness and those often entering rehabilitation programmes. The Money Adviser has been trained to support the specific needs of vulnerable women, also signposting them to other sources of assistance.
If you would like more information about Outreach Services and how you can access them please contact 0121 250 3000 or email info@bsettlement.org.uk.
