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Debt Advice Handbook 15th edition

Chapter 3: Stages of debt advice

• 1. Exploring the debt problem
• Obtaining information from the client
• 2. Dealing with urgent issues
• 3. Listing creditors and minimising debts
• The creditors
• The debts
• The threats
• Action to be taken
• 4. Listing and maximising income
• Whose income to include
• What income to include
• Capital
• Maximising the client’s income
• 5. Listing expenditure
• Items of expenditure
• Housing
• Childcare
• Fuel
• Furniture and bedding
• Health costs
• Transport
• Hire purchase
• Fines
• Laundry and dry cleaning
• Telephone, television and broadband
• Other household items, toiletries and food
• Clothing and shoes
• Gifts, charitable donations, and religious and cultural activities
• Other costs
• Bank accounts
• 6. Drawing up a financial statement
• Standard forms of financial statement
• The common financial statement
• The standard financial statement
• 7. Dealing with priority debts
• 8. Choosing a strategy for non-priority debts
• 9. Implementing the chosen strategies