Kingston are attacking illegal loan sharks on all angles. 

Kingston Council’s Trading Standards team commissioned Kingston University Students’ Union (KUSU) to hold a competition to find an eye-catching design that would help draw public attention to the dangers of loan sharks. The winning poster by Garfield Kar C Li, a Fashion Masters student, has appeared around Kingston town centre warning people with debt problems not to turn to illegal money lenders.

Kingston Citiizen’s Advice Bureau are running a ‘week of action’ (15-19^th April) about illegal money lending in partnership with the national IML team and RBK Trading Standards. The week will include briefing sessions for staff working with clients who may use money lenders, possible presentations in schools where parents may be using money lenders and also working to recruit Community Advocates who will support local communities to work to stop loan sharks.

 This is always important work, but even more so in light of the proposed benefit changes which will result in claimants being paid monthly instead of weekly or fortnightly from next year. Clearly some people will find this difficult to manage and may be more vulnerable to loan sharks at that time. 

There are alternatives with Kingston Savers, part of Surrey Save Credit Union, set up last year.  Anyone interested in their services should visit www.surreysave.co.uk