CIVEA and its members work closely with charities and debt advice providers. As well as supporting organisations such as StepChange, Money Advice Trust and Christians Against Poverty through the national FairShare scheme, our members fund local charities and Citizens Advice bureaux. Our members provide funding for debt advisers to be based with local authorities. Others fund a bursary scheme for debt relief orders. Another supports a training programme for debt advisers.
If you are struggling to pay your debts, there is help is available from the free debt advice providers listed below.
Gov.uk (go to www.gov.uk)
Citizens Advice (go to www.adviceguide.org.uk or phone 0345 404 0506/0344 411 1444 for England or 0344 477 2020 for Wales)
AdviceUK (go to www.adviceuk.org.uk/find-a-member)
Advice Service (go to www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk or phone 0800 138 7777)
StepChange Debt Charity (go to www.stepchange.org or phone 0800 138 1111)
Money Helper (go to https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en) or phone 0300 500 5000
National Debtline (go to www.nationaldebtline.org or phone 0808 808 4000)
Christians Against Poverty (go www.capuk.org or phone 01274 760720)
Vulnerability and how to respond to vulnerable people are embedded in every part of the enforcement business, from contact centre operators to enforcement agents in the field.
Debt advice charities work closely with CIVEA members to provide training on how to identify and support vulnerable people.
All CIVEA members have either a welfare team or a dedicated individual responsible for managing cases where individuals are identified as potentially vulnerable. These specialists are trained in the use of management tools such as TEXAS and IDEA and are empowered to make decisions about additional support needs. If you are vulnerable, you may be asked by the enforcement company to provide evidence about how your vulnerability affects your ability to pay your debt.
The end of the pandemic has led to more challenges for many people , including poor health and financial issues. The enforcement process has been transformed by firms seeking to engage debtors, identify vulnerability, assess income and expenditure, maximise income and benefits, profile for propensity to pay, ensure repayments are sustained.
Technology has led to investment in vulnerability assessment tools and self-assessment tools to allow debtors to engage with enforcement firms. Local authorities are allowing longer repayment plans and firms use technology to identify vulnerability and the apply multi-channel communications, such as email, text, webchat and apps.
CIVEA
PO Box 745
WAKEFIELD
WF1 9RJ
For general enquiries only, you can contact us by email (admin@civea.co.uk), letter or telephone.
If you have a complaint or concern about one of our members, please go to our complaints page for advice
CIVEA is unable to discuss complaint matters over the telephone and complaints should be sent in writing. This is to ensure that the details of your complaint are accurately recorded and understood which makes it easier in addressing your complaint thoroughly. Please advise if you have a disability, so that we can make reasonable adjustments.
You can contact us by email, letter or telephone.