Friday, 02 November 2012 10:49
Money Advice Service says demand is rising for its help
The Money Advice Service has said it is helping 30,000 consumers per week to manage their finances.
Between April and September, the service said it helped 704,000 people, including 46,000 face-to-face, and generated 283,000 action plans.
It hopes to have 1.9m visitors and have created one million action plans by March 2013. The number of visitors to the site was up eight per cent on 2011-12.
The service has received much criticism since its launch last year with accusations of high marketing costs and high salaries for its staff.
Former chief executive Tony Hobman was paid £314,000 for his role while chairman Gerard Lemos was paid £84,000 in 2011-12.
Some 88 per cent of visitors to the site said they would visit again, higher than the service's 75 per cent target, while 81 per cent said they had found the information they needed.
The most popular tools used by visitors to the site were the mortgage calculator, budget planner and the financial health check.
The debt advice programme, which the Money Advice Service, agreed to offer earlier this year, is aiming to offer 150,000 sessions during 2012-13.
Gerard Lemos, Money Advice Service chairman, said: "The service is making steady progress in tackling the country's enormous advice gap.
"The long-term goal to make being good with money the norm remains. So we will continue to work hard towards our ambitious targets and develop the service to make sure it is in tune with people's needs, provides action-oriented and sustained help and becomes better known for all life's money matters."
Between April and September, the service said it helped 704,000 people, including 46,000 face-to-face, and generated 283,000 action plans.
It hopes to have 1.9m visitors and have created one million action plans by March 2013. The number of visitors to the site was up eight per cent on 2011-12.
The service has received much criticism since its launch last year with accusations of high marketing costs and high salaries for its staff.
Former chief executive Tony Hobman was paid £314,000 for his role while chairman Gerard Lemos was paid £84,000 in 2011-12.
Some 88 per cent of visitors to the site said they would visit again, higher than the service's 75 per cent target, while 81 per cent said they had found the information they needed.
The most popular tools used by visitors to the site were the mortgage calculator, budget planner and the financial health check.
The debt advice programme, which the Money Advice Service, agreed to offer earlier this year, is aiming to offer 150,000 sessions during 2012-13.
Gerard Lemos, Money Advice Service chairman, said: "The service is making steady progress in tackling the country's enormous advice gap.
"The long-term goal to make being good with money the norm remains. So we will continue to work hard towards our ambitious targets and develop the service to make sure it is in tune with people's needs, provides action-oriented and sustained help and becomes better known for all life's money matters."
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