RE: Request for Financial Assistance - Priority Debt

I am contacting you further to your request for financial assistance with priority debts.

As discussed SSAFA:

• Does not employ debt and/or financial advice specialists/advisers.
• Caseworkers are not qualified to provide debt/financial advice.
• Is not accredited to provide such advice and is not involved in the debt advice process.
• Cannot make any recommendations regarding solutions to resolving debt.

In order to be considered for financial assistance towards priority debt, such as rent and council tax arrears, Assistance Providers will only consider applications for priority debts once a debt report/personal action plan has been produced by a qualified and accredited Debt and Money Advice service via such organisations as Citizens Advice, StepChange, Payplan etc. They will also require up-to-date statements of the debt(s).

Whilst SSAFA cannot determine which organisation you contact, we would suggest you contact a qualified and accredited debt/money adviser to discuss your financial situation. (You can of course contact an organisation of your own choosing as long as they are qualified and accredited to provide such advice):

Please inform the debt advice service you are contacting that you are:

1. A veteran of the UK Armed Forces (amend if currently serving/spouse/dependent.)
2. Seeking financial assistance via military charities towards your debts
3. Engaging with SSAFA to undertake the casework and application process

 and (important)

4. That any debt report/personal action plan produced by the debt advice service has to include the recommendation that charitable funds be used towards assisting with the debt, should they in their qualified opinion, think this is appropriate.

This may include such wording as: The purpose of this letter/report is only to provide our recommendation that you grant the client charitable funding, more than this is not within the remit of this process. 

This is provided as an example to assist you when discussing your circumstances with the debt adviser. The actual wording and recommendations are the decision of the debt advice service/adviser not SSAFA.

Once you have acquired a debt report/personal action plan and the recommendation that charitable funds be granted to assist with the priority debt payments, SSAFA may be able to further assist via the casework/application process. As also discussed, SSAFA cannot guarantee that financial assistance will be granted by the Assistance Providers as we are the caseworking organisation, not the direct fund provider.

Should you need any further information about this process please do contact us.