May 24th 2019, 17:54

AUTHORITATIVE ADVICE ON DEBT
FROM THE CHILD POVERTY ACTION GROUP – NOW IN A NEW 12th EDITION

An appreciation by Elizabeth Robson Taylor of Richmond Green Chambers and Phillip Taylor MBE, Head of Chambers
and Reviews Editor, “The Barrister”

Since the dawn of time, debt has always been the result of borrowing. A truism yes, but as this Handbook reminds us, debt -- unmanageable debt that is -- is ‘recognized by the credit industry as a necessary corollary of lending.’ It is also a key factor in cases of child poverty, hence the ever-present need for this Handbook from the Child Poverty Action Group.

This is the latest edition – the twelfth no less – of this long-established work of reference, which only goes to show how indispensable it has become. From lawyers to social workers and housing officers, any professional practitioner tasked with dealing with the consequences of child poverty will value this handbook as a comprehensive and reliable source of advice.

The cardinal virtues of the book, however, are its authority and accessibility. For virtually anyone with debt problems, or who possibly anticipates such problems, this is a relatively easy read and easy to use. Unrepresented parties in particular would be well advised to have a serious read of this book and/or take it along to court.

The title ‘Debt Advice’ is apt. ‘Virtually everyone has debt,’ it points out, ‘but when debt becomes unmanageable, the need for debt advice arises.’ The cautionary note here is that, for a number of reasons that are carefully explained, ‘debt advice’, ‘debt counselling’ and ‘money advice’ are not quite the same things. ‘Debt advice is essentially crisis management’ is the key statement here.

For the benefit of readers, professional or otherwise, the book is logically structured, which means it’s easy to look things up. The table of contents is detailed and so is the index at the back. Usefully, there’s a ‘How to Use This Handbook’ section at the front and a handy list of abbreviations. Readers can also cross-refer to other relevant publications and to further guidance and the law.

The CPAG advises that the Handbook is the ‘set text for the Institute of Money Advisers in Money Advice Practice’, which endorses it as ‘an indispensable resource for all advisers.’

As you would expect, this new edition has been updated with much new material, including the latest legislation, case law, court procedure and practice. The debt protection protocol is included, as well as the new debtor’s bankruptcy application. Payment protection insurance and parking charges are covered plus matters relating to enforcement of overseas judgments.

And apropos ‘crisis management’, the Handbook gives cogent advice on various debt emergencies: priority debts, business debts student debts and so forth -- and how to cope in court, plus further advice on enforcement. The chapter on the powers of bailiffs is instructive here, especially on what they can -- and cannot – do, the latter being slightly more important in many cases, than the former.

For debt advisors, or those in debt themselves this handbook, with its lists of useful organisations and publications, is an essential purchase.

The law covered in this book is cited as correct as at 1st November 2017 and the twelfth edition of the paperback book was published on 30th January 2018.