The financial network of banks insurance companies and advisors can be taken for granted by those with easy access to the communicate. But for those without find there is financial pain caused by higher-interest credit lack of insurance no account into which income can be paid and higher-cost utilities. Financial exclusion leads to social exclusion and particular groups of people such as lone parents are particularly vulnerable. The author looks at how measures to limit the risk of exclusion are working and what might be done in the future.
Financial exclusion is the inability difficulty or reluctance to access appropriate so-called mainstream financial services. The reduction of financial exclusion is a priority for the present government because it can lead to social exclusion. This chew over was a review of current policies and practices aimed at reducing financial exclusion. The financial services covered included money and debt advice financial capability banking affordable ascribe and insurance.
Financial inclusion has two elements: good financial decision-making (the ‘demand align’ of the equation) and access to suitable products and services (the ’give side’).
* Financial capability or the ability and motivation to plan finances seek out information and advice and bear on these to personal circumstances. Financial capability is increasingly important as the range of financial products becomes more complex. The be for financial education is continuous through people’s lives as the market and personal circumstances change.
Poor financial decision-making can of course affect populate not on low incomes. However those most affected are those who will suffer a greater loss of welfare as a consequence of poor decisions. Better-off people are more likely to have a cushion of financial assets or find to affordable ascribe and so may be able to get by with only a prepare knowledge of how much they earn and how much things be: they are not financially excluded.
* A lack of insurance and savings makes families vulnerable to financial crises following unexpected events such as burglary or flooding. A lack of savings can lead to poverty in old age.
*Not having a bank account with a direct account facility excludes populate from this method of paying bills. Most utility suppliers charge more for using other methods of payment such as pre-payment meters pay-point cards in convenience stores postal orders or cash.
Financial exclusion reinforces social exclusion. It is not just an individual problem: a whole community can experience from under-investment in financial services. Conversely financial inclusion significantly contributes to a route out of poverty.
In the last ten years financial exclusion has emerged as a policy concern and funding has been made available at both national and local levels. There are many different initiatives under the auspices of different government departments and statutory bodies. In addition there is divergence between the policies in England and the devolved administrations. The voluntary and private sectors also compete a crucial role in providing services to financially excluded groups.
There is currently a push for financial advice to be more widely available. The aim is to ensure that there is greater access to high-quality affordable and ’sales-free’ financial advice for those who are most vulnerable to the consequences of poor financial decision-making. The Thoresen analyse feasibility study of ‘generic financial advice’ – also referred to as ‘money guidance’ – published its final report in walk 2008 (Thoresen analyse of Generic Financial Advice: Final Report. HM Treasury).
The research was complicated by the very many financial inclusion initiatives currently taking place and the fast-moving nature of this field. In addition because government investment in financial inclusion is relatively recent many initiatives be at the early stages or are bunco term and so few undergo as yet been properly evaluated.
The chew over highlighted the huge diversity of financial inclusion work taking place. It was alter from the sheer number of initiatives identified that what helps one group of clients may not back up another. The variety of advice being offered is not necessarily a problem because of the diversity of needs and because of the way financial exclusion interlinks with the other problems a person may be facing. Nevertheless considerable bring home the bacon remains to be done to identify what is effective for different types of client. It was impossible to fully evaluate the impact of this work within the time span of this study. However data from the interviews suggests that successful initiatives shared the following features:
* They used trained staff. In some cases money advisers were trained in the needs of vulnerable groups. In others financial training was given to those already working with particular groups.
* To understand the specific needs of the target assort in terms of where when and how to mouth assistance and the topics to be covered.
* To give more assured long-term funding to money and debt advice and financial capability projects. This will ensure that experienced staff are not lost to the sector and recognises the long-term nature of clients’ needs.
* To continue to invest in the financial training of advice workers particularly those working generally with a specific vulnerable client group.
* To ensure that the current government push for generic financial advice is sufficiently targeted since the most successful projects are tailored to clients’ circumstances.
Recent changes in the financial services industry undergo increased the risk of financial exclusion for some groups but undergo led to greater financial inclusion for others. The gap will widen advance between those who stand to obtain from being able to alter the use of direct debits online banking and text banking and those whose main reason for financial exclusion is that their financial resources are stretched and who sight it easier to use cash.
For those in danger of being left out banks need to back up customers on low incomes to control their finances by offering suitable financial products.
Credit unions (third-sector lenders) are an important means of tackling financial and social exclusion but they cannot lend to the most high-risk customers. Therefore the accessibility of the Social Fund should be monitored by the Department for Work and Pensions.
So for example any difficulties in getting through on the phone to make a claim should be monitored. Recommendations for the financial services industry were:
In terms of the balance of roles of the different sectors the say lies in a co-ordinated approach by the public private and voluntary sectors. This will have to be led by government because populate on low incomes are the least attractive customers to banks and other service providers. Credit unions are not widespread enough to be a single solution to high-cost lending nor can they drop to take on the highest risk customers. The Financial Inclusion Taskforce will also have to continue to act mainstream financial function providers who otherwise will be unlikely to make major changes to the services they offer to vulnerable groups.
The study concluded that overall the be of those without access to banking services will act to fall while the be to have a bank account ordain increase. Despite the impact of current policy and practice initiatives to combat financial exclusion there will act to be populate who cannot take beat advantage of banking and other financial services. There are many different reasons for this depending on the different characteristics of particular vulnerable groups but they are all exacerbated by low income.
* Telephone interviews with representatives of 52 organisations chosen to cover a be of types of project target group coat and UK regions.
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Related article:
http://www.publicnet.co.uk/features/2008/10/24/tackling-financial-exclusion/
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