.

Monday, 22 February 2010

Interview with Elizabeth from St Albans Citizens Advice Bureau

Hi everyone,

On the show today we heard from Elizabeth from the St Albans Citizens Advice Bureau.

Elizabeth started off by pointing out that about 3 million people fall victim to scams each year. Be on your guard - never send money to anyone you don't know and never give your bank details out. If in doubt you can contact Consumer Direct on 0845 404 0506 or contact the Citizens Advice Bureau.

The next topic was fuel bills. With this the coldest winter for 30 years it's advised that we try and budget for our fuel bills and also check our bills carefully. If you get an estimated bill you can always give your supplier a meter reading and they can then change your bill. It's also possible to change supplier to get a better tariff. Some suppliers also have a social tariff which is for people on certain benefits. And remember, if you're over 60 years of age you'll get winter fuel payments, and those on certain benefits will qualify for cold weather payments.

The last subject was about a new scheme called the Home Access Scheme which enables some families to buy a home computer and get a years internet access for free. You need to be a family with a child in school years 3-9 and be on certain benfits to qualify. For more information call 0333 200 1004 for an application form. You'll need to act quickly as the scheme is only for the first 270,000 applicants.

For more information on anything that Elizabeth covered and anything else you need advice on, you can call into the Bureau at 64 London Road, St Albans, or give them a call on 01727 855269, or visit www.adviceguide.org.uk

Neil

No comments:

Post a Comment