Responsible Lending

Managing your money
At Attenborough Pawnbrokers & Jewellers we take pride in our pawnbroking loans, believing that by taking an item for security on a loan we can provide an essential service at a fair cost.

Taking control of your finances
We don’t offer unsecured loans, such as payday loans, because we don’t think that they offer value for money. The often excessively high interest rates charged by other companies for these loans can cause a customer more problems than they solve, leading to a cycle of borrowing that is expensive to maintain and impossible to break.

Our loans are intended to provide relief for short term cash flow problems. If you are facing severe financial hardship or are regularly spending more than you earn then we recommend that you seek professional advice from any of the free, independent organisations below or a qualified debt counsellor. They will be able to help you arrange manageable repayments of existing debts including debt consolidation, repayment plans and lower or freeze interest charges. They will also be able to help you draw up budgets to make the income that you have work best for you.

Money Advice Service
The Money Advice Service is a free, independent body set up by the government to give practical advice on the best way to manage your money. They provide information on dealing with a specific topic such as pensions, maternity leave, benefits or debt management as well as more general help including budget calculators.

Visit: www.moneyadviceservice.org.uk or phone 0300 500 5000

Citizens Advice
The Citizen’s Advice bureaux is a charity based organisation providing free, confidential and impartial advice from over 3300 sites in England and Wales. Help can be given face to face, by phone or online and covers an incredibly broad range of information from debt management to housing and immigration.

Find your local office at www.citizensadvice.org.uk or call 0844 499 4718

National Debtline
A free independent charity based service giving advice on dealing with debt.

Call 08088084000 or visit www.nationaldebtline.org

Government Loans
Qualifying people, namely those who have been receiving income related benefits for at least 26 weeks, can apply for an interest free loan from their local Jobcentre. The minimum loan amount is £100 and is normally expected to be paid within two years. These loans are given for specific purposes for example if you are having difficulty paying rent, buying essential household goods or clothing, paying for maternity or funeral expenses or even to pay off other debts that were taken out to cover these expenses.

For more information click on the following link: www.gov.uk

Credit unions
Credit Unions offer affordable unsecured loans. At no more than 2% per month they are substantially cheaper than some other types of unsecured borrowing.

To find your local union or for more information visit: www.findyourcreditunion.co.uk

Foodbanks
Foodbanks provide emergency food boxes for families in desperate need and normally contain enough essentials to keep you going for at least three days. You will often need to be referred by a professional such as a health worker, social worker or police officer.

For more information or to find your local foodbank visit: www.trusselltrust.org