Change in clients

Press, 30 May 1989, Page 4

Change in clients

By

SARONA IOSEFA

A little more than 65 per cent of Christchurch Budget Advisory Service clients are beneficiaries, and the numbers are rising, says the service’s coordinator, Mrs Lorraine Powell. Mrs Powell said numbers were once split, half workers and half beneficiaries, but during the last year or so beneficiaries had become the main source of work.

“People are having to stay longer on benefits than they used to because of the unemployment problem, and if you had a few hire-purchase agreements while you were employed, these can catch up with you when your become unemployed,” Mrs Powell said.

Mrs Powell said that although creditors were helpful to the Christchurch Budget Advisory Service, they were becoming tougher in the tigher economy.

“While they can give those in debt a little time to recover, they still have to get debtors to start paying at some stage so there is less leeway today for those who get into financial difficulties,” Mrs Powell said.

A shortage of counselling staff was still a problem with not enough to cope with the growing demand for budget advisory services, Mrs Powell said.

“We have got a good number of 200 workers but because the financial problems are becoming increasingly complicated, counsellors are having to spend more time on each case,” she said.

Mrs Powell said it was not all gloom. People were still seeking the service’s advice on budget management and simple accounting problems. But this was usually balanced by those who chose only to seek help when goods were being repossessed the following day, she said.