We must overcome poverty!

The battle to overcome poverty in Cumbria will be on the agenda today as the county's first Financial Inclusion forum is launched at Rheged.

Financial Inclusion is about having access to mainstream services such as bank accounts, low cost home contents insurance and affordable credit.

A recent survey by the Lancaster University Management School estimated that at any one time £3million is loaned out to doorstop lenders in the county.

More than 100 delegates from a variety of organisations across the county will meet on Thursday 20 August at Rheged to focus their attention on giving people more access to affordable credit through credit unions as well as other aspects financial inclusion including money advice.

It involves speakers from the Department for Work and Pensions, Financial Services Authority and existing credit unions. Senior officers from Cumbria's seven local authorities are expected to attend along with the county's MPs.

A government report highlighted levels of financial exclusion in Carlisle, Barrow-in-Furness, Copeland and Allerdale that placed them within the top 50 most excluded areas of the country.

Eden and South Lakeland along with pockets of rural Cumbria have also been identified as target areas in terms of access to basic financial services. As a result of this finding the DWP has formed a strategic alliance with the County Council and has invested almost a million pounds into the county.

Hosted by the county council and the DWP Financial Inclusion Champion for Cumbria, the 'Financial Inclusion - Tackling Poverty in Cumbria' forum will aim to improve advice and support for people on low incomes, those at risk of poverty and falling into the hands of illegal loan sharks.

This will be done through improved cross-agency working, the development of credit union services across the county as well as additional debt advice.

In Cumbria there is a limited access to credit unions for the general public with only eight across the county. These are Cleator Moor and district, Carlisle and district, Egremont and district, Maryport and north Allerdale, Walney Island, Workington and district, Whitehaven, and Millom and district.

Despite the important achievements of these credit unions, large areas of the county are still not served by a credit union, such as Eden, the South Lakes and Barrow.

Amanda Pyper is Financial Inclusion Champion for Cumbria and her role is to help everyone in the county have access to basic financial services. She said: "In a modern society having access to basis financial services is as important as being plugged in to electricity or telecommunications.

"Without this the poorest people in Cumbria are paying more for basic necessitates of life such as fuel and essential furniture."

Cumbria County Councillor Eddie Martin, Cabinet member responsible for Adult Social Care, said: "This forum will bring together the people who work everyday at trying to reduce levels of poverty in the county and I hope that it will raise awareness of poverty in Cumbria.

"Many of those affected by spiralling debts turn to unlicensed money-lenders because, for whatever reasons, they cannot obtain credit from elsewhere.

"Everybody should have access to affordable and responsible credit; to an appropriate bank account; to face-to-face debt advice and money management advice; and access to savings.

"The fact is that extreme poverty affects many people. We are all in this together and the only way that poverty will finally be eradicated is by working together.

"And together we can give those who live in the misery of poverty in Cumbria a glimmer of hope, better opportunities and a future worth living."

For further information see the Government published Financial inclusion: an action plan for 2008-11
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/d/financialinclusion_actionplan061207.pdf