More travel staff asking for help with bills as cost of living bites
Sophie GriffithsAbta Lifeline has reported a surge in requests for help with rent and council tax arrears as the cost of living crisis worsens.
Speaking to TTG to drive awareness of TTG’s cost of living survey, Trudie Clements, director of Abta LifeLine said she had noticed a “huge jump” in applications since September, with the charity paying out £10,000 in crisis grants in the last week alone.
“We’re definitely seeing an increase in applications. Once we started getting into September we noticed them creeping up, but now there is a bigger increase as people struggle to pay their bills such as heating,” Clements told TTG.
“Most of those coming to us are those in rent or council tax arrears and some sadly have been given eviction notices,” she added.
Clements urged members of the travel trade worrying about their finances to reach out to Lifeline. ““If you’re struggling, please talk to us, especially those that have really tried to get on top of their finances and who want to help themselves.
Abta LifeLine has also noticed a rise in the number of people displaying signs of mental health anxieties as a result of their financial stress.
>>> TAKE TTG’S COST OF LIVING SURVEY HERE <<<
The charity partners with Citizens Advice, who Clements explained, can help with advising which bills to prioritise and offer tips on how to budget effectively.
“If you need, they will give advice on how to manage and take control of your debts,” Clements added. “The advice is non-judgemental and will not affect your credit rating. For some this will be the first most important step they need to take. Many of our beneficiaries have called this advice life changing. Citizens Advice can also do a review to see if there are any benefits that you might be entitled to too.
“People often don’t know which bills to pay first – Citizens Advice can help explain which ones are the most important ones. These generally are the priority bills, your council tax, rent and utilities. The non-priority bills for instance such as credit cards, store cards and loans can be managed in a variety of ways including payment plans.”
TTG is running a cost of living crisis survey to find out how members of the UK travel trade are coping in the current economic climate.
The survey is anonymous, and the results will be used to push for more support for those working in travel.
>>> TAKE TTG’S COST OF LIVING SURVEY HERE <<<
Abta LifeLine funds are open to anyone that has worked in the industry for an Abta member – even if you have left the industry you are still eligible.
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