New Age Scotland webinar aims to make debt management less daunting

It is estimated that over 250,000 Scottish people are in severe debt and around 25% of Scots show at least one sign of financial distress.

It can often be seen as a taboo subject but, to help make discussing debt less daunting, national charity Age Scotland are launching a new debt management webinar with Scotland’s largest independent chartered accountants and business advisers, Johnston Carmichael.

Launching on 22 September as part of Age Scotland’s “Age Inclusive Workplaces”, this free session will be an optional addition for those who attend the charity’s “Planning For Your Future” workshops – which recently relaunched in a digital format.

Over 7,000 employees across 200 Scottish organisations have been impacted by the workshops to date, with 98% of attendees agreeing they would recommend them to colleagues.

The free live webinar aims to support those over 50 and their families to manage debt problems and find solutions that steer away from using non-ethical companies or resorting to pension funds to clear debt, as well as exploring the importance of financial wellbeing on our health.

Brian Sloan, Age Scotland’s Chief Executive, said:

“We are delighted to be launching this additional service to further support over 50s in planning for later life, particularly at this challenging time of financial difficulty for many.

“Over the past few months, we’ve all experienced unprecedented times as a result of COVID-19 and, while our face-to-face workshops aren’t possible, our newly launched virtual workshops are proving to be just as popular.

“Pre-retirement planning is something that not many people think about until it’s too late and debt can be an extremely daunting subject.

“By openly and honestly explaining debt, how to avoid it and solutions for its effective management – either on your own or with the help of professional organisations such as Johnston Carmichael – we hope these workshops will help make this subject less of a taboo.”

Jenn Stewart, Restructuring Director at Johnston Carmichael said:

“Personal debt is something that affects us all at some stage of our lives. Managed carefully, it can be an effective part of your financial planning, but unexpected events can cause it to become out of control, very quickly.

“We understand how quickly life can throw a curve ball; but seeking financial help when you feel overwhelmed is so important. When it comes to debt, a problem shared really is a problem halved, and as with anything, the earlier you act the greater your options.

“In this workshop I won’t just focus on the solutions available to help when you find yourself in a debt situation; I’ll cover what you can do next, once you have a plan in place, and how you take the steps to start feeling financially confident again, so that the things that seem unachievable goals at the moment, become a reality in your future.”

If you are an individual looking to start planning for your retirement and are interested in attending a workshop as part of your workplace learning and development or if you’d like to find out more about how we are helping workers to prepare for retirement, get in touch with Age Scotland.

For more information and to sign up for a session, email workshops@agescotland.org.uk or visit www.age.scot/PlanningForYourFuture.