money

Local charity Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau today publishes its latest advice trend statistics which show that so far this financial year it has helped 4,976 people directly with advice and information.

On average, clients with debt problems had debts totaling £15,685.79, up by £2,488.38 on the same period the previous year.

The amount of advice that the charity has been able to provide has increased in the following areas compared to the same period last year:

Welfare benefits

• 28.2% increase in enquires about council tax benefit/local support • 24.8%...

Chancellor George Osborne has (8 February 2015) announced the government will extend the availability of its hugely popular 65 plus pensioner bonds.

Highlighting latest sales figures which show it has seen the biggest sale of any retail financial product in Britain’s modern history, the Chancellor confirmed that the pensioner bonds will now be on sale for 4 months, until 15 May 2015, so that everyone who wants to invest can do so.

£7.5 billion of the 65 plus pensioner bonds have been sold so far, with over 610,000 savers purchasing bonds since their launch in January this...

Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau has published its latest advice trend statistics which show that in the first nine months of the financial year it helped 4,451 people directly with advice and information.

On average, clients with debt problems had debts totaling £9,193.64, down by £2,373.83 on the same period the previous year. However, the charity expects to see a further increase in the first quarter of 2015 as people struggle to deal with debt accrued in the Christmas period.

The amount of advice that the charity has been able to provide has increased in the following...

Once again, the Devon County Agricultural Association (DCAA) is calling for community projects across Devon to enter the Prince of Wales Award which comes with a £1,000 first prize.

The award is given each year to the project which the judges decide offers most in terms of reducing the drain on finite resources, improving the quality of life and giving local people the chance to get involved in doing something really worthwhile for their communities.

Previous winners have included Stokeinteignhead Community Shop, Sustainable South Brent and, last year, the Newton St. Cyres...

Thousands of rent or mortgage payers across the South West might be facing a not-so-happy new year, as new research reveals one in nine are worried they will be unable to make payments this January.

Research from Shelter and YouGov paints a bleak picture for many this winter, with 65% of rent or mortgage payers in the South West revealing they are already struggling to keep up with their housing costs.

Shelter is warning that ignoring money worries rather than seeking advice could lead to people’s home being put at risk. Worryingly, over a quarter (27%) of people in the...

Local charity, Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau, is urging people to start the New Year with good resolutions to manage their money.

Last year Exeter Citizens Advice Bureau dealt with even more debt problems than before.

This totaled over 5,000 new debt cases, totaling £7.51million, the equivalent of more than 400 new debt cases every month.

The figure is expected to remain high into 2015 as the increased cost of living continues to bite.

Steve Barriball, Chief Executive, says: “People are paying a high price for being ill-informed and lacking confidence when...

A Hospiscare charity shop manager saved Christmas for a Topsham family after finding nearly £1,000 in notes stuffed in a donated pair of men’s boots.

The £980 was still in wads with bands around them after an elderly man had collected them from the bank to give to his family at Christmas.

He stored the money in the boots then forgot and donated them to the local Topsham Hospiscare shop.

Jackie Hulin, shop manager said: “A gentleman brought in two bags, one of clothes and another with boots and he gift aided them.

"I put them to one side and it was only when...

As much as £300 million worth of gift vouchers bought this year could go unspent according to research by the UK Gift Card and Voucher Association (UKGCVA).

Consumer Affairs Minister Jo Swinson is urging consumers to spend and enjoy any vouchers they get for Christmas before they expire.

Every year 6% of vouchers bought by consumers go unused as they lay forgotten in people’s wallets and drawers.

In 2013 some £2.5 billion worth of gift cards and vouchers were sold in UK retail stores as gifts and £2.25 billion were purchased by businesses as staff or customer...

With the rise in interest-free credit cards and more South West residents looking to build their credit rating, it seems many are now looking to put purchases ‘on the card’.

A study by TopCashback.co.uk, released today, found that around half of South West residents believe that having a credit card has allowed them to live beyond their means, whilst 86 per cent say that it’s helped them to build a credit rating.

Around a quarter of South West residents are looking to credit cards as a way to spread the cost of spontaneous purchases and luxury goods.

However,...

Exeter charity Hospiscare is celebrating after receiving an early Christmas present - the £3,540 left outside one if its city shops last month.

Today (Thurs) local police officially handed over the cash found outside the Hospiscare Cowick Street shop as the identity of the donor remains a mystery. No one came forward to claim the cash, the police are satisfied it was a genuine donation and Hospiscare has now banked the used £20 notes left in two carrier bags outside the shop window on November 10th.

Glynis Atherton, Hospiscare chief executive said: “I would like to say a...