Standard Life Charitable Trust and Shelter Partner to Help People in Need of Financial Advice
By Standard Life, PRNEWednesday, July 6, 2011
EDINBURGH, July 7, 2011 -
Standard Life Charitable Trust has announced it is to partner
with Shelter to help more people find housing and money advice.
The Standard Life Charitable Trust is providing funding to
housing and homelessness charity Shelter for three telephone
advisers at the charity’s housing advice lines in England and
Scotland.
Shelter’s housing advice line provides support to those who are
in debt and behind with rent and mortgage payments, as well as
offering advice on a range of other issues including eviction and
repossession. The helpline gave advice to almost 50,000 people
across England in 2010 alone.
A recent survey by Shelter* showed that more than one in ten
(11%) people face a constant struggle to pay their rent or
mortgage. With unemployment high, the cost of living increasing and
the possibility of a rise in interest rates ahead, more and more
people are contacting the charity for help to manage their finances
and stay afloat. In the first three months of this year Shelter saw
a 30 per cent increase in calls to its helpline.
The Standard Life Charitable Trust is an independent charity
established in 2009 by leading long term savings and investments
company, Standard
Life, and is focused on supporting people most in need of help
managing their finances.
The Trust’s donation will fund three full-time telephone
advisers at Shelter’s helplines until May 2012 allowing the charity
to reach an additional 7,300 people with housing advice.
Shelter’s chief executive Campbell Robb said: “In these
uncertain economic times many people are struggling to make ends
meet and more and more are coming to Shelter for help.
“Thanks to this donation from the Standard Life Charitable Trust
we will be able to reach even more people. Our advisers can stop
things from spiralling out of control and help people get back on
their feet.”
Baroness McDonagh, Chair of the Standard Life Charitable Trust
said: “The Standard Life Charitable Trust is focused on supporting
groups who could benefit most from help and advice to improve their
financial capability. We are delighted our donation will fund
additional Shelter advisers so they can help more people who are at
risk of losing their home, many of whom are experiencing severe
financial problems.”
Notes to Editors:
*Figures are from YouGov Plc. Total sample size is 2118 UK
adults, with a base of 18-34 year olds. Fieldwork was undertaken
between 21st April - 3rd May 2011. The survey was carried out
online. The figures have been weighted and are representative of
all UK adults (aged 18+).
About The Standard Life Charitable Trust
The Standard Life Charitable Trust (SLCT) is an independent
charity established by Standard Life in 2009. The trust is a
separate organisation from Standard Life Plc, with its own
constitution and Board of Trustees. It is funded by the Unclaimed
Assets Trust (UAT), which was set up to hold any cash or shares
which went unclaimed following Standard Life’s
demutualisation.
The vision of the trust is to benefit society by building
capability and supporting independence and it is currently focused
on supporting people most in need of developing skills to manage
their finances including lone/single parents, armed forces, young
offenders and young people, providing
education and
financial help to those who need it.
About Standard Life:
Standard Life is a leading long term savings and investments
company headquartered in Edinburgh and operating internationally.
Established in 1825, Standard Life provides ISAs,
assurance, annuities, mutual funds, investment bonds, tax
efficiencies, pension planning advice and investment management,
including its
stocks and shares ISA to over 6.5 million customers
worldwide.
PR Contact:
Steve Hartley
Standard Life
Standard Life House
30 Lothian Road
Edinburgh
EH1 2DH
+44(0)131-2451365
.
Tags: Edinburgh, July 7, Standard Life, United Kingdom
