Where to get free financial advice

Getting hold of free financial advice is easier than you think.

When debt is taking hold and your money is spiralling out of control, the worst thing you can do is to bury your head in the sand and ignore the problem. There are plenty of sources of free help and advice that will assist you in getting your life back on track.

Most people don't realise how many organisations are actually set up to help you, not to see you fail.

Where to seek free financial advice

Where you seek your advice will depend on the problem or issue you want to address. Here's a list of the best places to get free financial advice.

General advice

For help on general money matters in the home and debt, the Citizens Advice Bureau can really help. They have loads of impartial information on debt, tax and benefits and their online guides are really helpful, alternatively, pop into your local CAB office.

In Scotland, there is a also a free financial advice agency called Money Advice Scotland. Call them on 0414 572 0237.

Advice on debt

For more help on debt, including confidential advice and support, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service can be called on 0800 138 1111. They operate as a charity and also specialise in advice for mortgage arrears on 0800 975 9558. Find out more about Consumer Credit Counselling Service here.

To resolve debt problems, then the Debt Advice Network is a charity that offers free and impartial debt advice from trained professional advisors. You can call them 0300 011 2340.

For specialist advice in Wales, contact the Housing Debt Helpline Wales on 0800 107 1340.

The National Debtline offers free, confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. You can call them between 9am and 9pm Mon-Fri, 9.30am-1pm Sat on 0808 808 4000. There is also a 24 hour answering service for information pack or factsheet requests.

If you need help getting out of debt and setting up a debt management plan (DMP), then Payplan can help. They offer free debt advice and can set up a free DMP on your behalf with your creditors. Contact them on 0800 716 239 or at www.payplan.com.

Mortgage concerns

If you're concerned about your home being repossessed, then speak to Shelter, a charity offering free housing debt advice. Contact Shelter on 0808 800 4444.

Ready to start saving and investing?

If you're in a situation where you have surplus cash at the end of each month and you'd like to start putting away some of it for a rainy day, then there is free financial advice available for you too.

First off, talk to your bank about the kind of products available. This is a good start to understanding the different products and the types of products you might need. Remember though, banks can only sell you their products, so for a more balanced set of information, take your new found knowledge to an independent financial advisor that's regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA).

You'll find a list of the nearest independent financial advisors to you at Unbiased.co.uk. Your first visit with an independent financial advisor is usually free, so see a couple of different advisors to get a range of opinions before settling on your preferred choice.