Child Poverty Action Group, Toynbee Hall and the FSA release third edition of the Personal Finance Handbook; the must have guide to family budgets in a recession

10.12.09

The Child Poverty Action Group and Toynbee Hall have released the third edition of the Personal Finance Handbook with sponsorship from the Financial Services Authority. The book is the must have handbook for families during the recession to advise people on their personal finances. Written by financial journalist Jonquil Lowe former head of Which? Magazine’s money research group, this book takes people through personal budgeting, financial planning, saving, borrowing, pensions, credit, using pawn brokers and dealing with debt.

The book has been updated to help people deal with the additional financial difficulties caused by the credit crunch with expanded information on banking and credit and is updated in line with the 2009/10 tax and benefit rates.

John Dickie of Child Poverty Action Group said:

“Particularly in times of recession it is important that people are given all the information possible to help family budgets stretch further. We are delighted to work with Toynbee Hall and the FSA on this book which has set out to tell people everything they need to know about managing everyday money.”

Chris Pond, Director of Financial Capability for the FSA commented:

"Managing your money, especially during a recession, can be difficult for many people and having a respected source of information to refer too, like the Personal Finance Handbook is major help for those people. We are very pleased to have worked with Toynbee Hall and the Child Poverty Action Group in producing the third edition of this valuable handbook."

Adam Clark, Financial Inclusion Co-ordinator at Toynbee Hall said:

"Equipping people to understand and manage their money is a crucial part of working against poverty and improving wellbeing. Through publishing this handbook with our partners at the FSA and Child Poverty Action Group we aim to make comprehensive information about how to do this available to all consumers and those who support them."

Notes for editors

• More information and a free sample chapter can be found on the Personal Finance Handbook publication page: http://www.cpag.org.uk/publications/personalfinance/
• Child Poverty Action Group’s manifesto, published in March 2009, can be found at: www.cpag.org.uk/manifesto
• For up-to-date background facts and stats on UK poverty, visit: www.cpag.org.uk/povertyfacts/
• CPAG is the leading charity campaigning for the abolition of child poverty in the UK and for a better deal for low-income families and children.
• CPAG is one of over 150 member organisations of the Campaign to End Child Poverty, campaigning for public and political commitment to ensure the goals of halving child poverty by 2010 and ending child poverty by 2020 are met.

For further information please contact:
Joshua Fenton-Glynn
CPAG Press Officer
Tel. 020 7812 5216 or 07816 909302
jfentonglynn@cpag.org.uk