# Event Details - **Event Name**: Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 27 Aug, 2026 at 09:30 am – Thu, 27 Aug, 2026 at 02:30 pm - **Event Description**: Take your money guidance to the next level and help your customers avoid loan sharks, access safer credit and get debt advice early.About this EventMoney Guiders Scotland is going live and local with our summer roadshow taking place in Galashiels, Aberdeen and Inverness. We are now moving on to our final stop in Inverness!Hosted at Inverness Town House, this multi-speaker in-person event will bring together staff and volunteers to explore practical ways to support people to avoid illegal lending, access safer and more affordable credit options, and understand how to access free debt advice, including the importance of early intervention.Book now to secure your free place at this exclusive event to get learning and networking with colleagues across public, third, and community sectors. Please note refreshments and a light lunch will be served.Who is this session for?Staff and volunteers who provide support to individuals and families in an array of settings who have conversations where money may come into focus. This includes: family workers, healthcare providers, housing staff, community link workers, financial capability teams, community group/project staff to name but a few examples.Anyone interested in supporting their customers’ financial wellbeing and connecting with local organisations that can help improve access to safe, trusted support.What to expectBy attending this event, you will:Learn how to identify and respond to the risks of illegal money lending, helping individuals and communities avoid harm and access safer alternatives.Build confidence in supporting access to affordable and ethical credit options by understanding what is available and how to make appropriate referrals.Know how to promote and signpost to free, impartial debt and money advice services, supporting earlier intervention and better customer outcomes.Strengthen collaborative working relationships with local and national organisations to improve referral pathways and joined-up support.Take away practical tools, insights and resources to deliver more effective, person-centred money guidance in your day-to-day role.Money Guiders Competency FrameworkFoundation: Knowledge and complianceTechnical Domain: Borrowing, Debt, Knowing your customerAccessibilityWe are committed to making this event accessible to everyone. If you have any accessibility requirements, please let us know using the form fields when registering or email us at money.guiders.scotland@maps.org.ukAbout Money Guiders is a free self-development programme designed to help money guidance practitioners improve their knowledge, skills, and confidence. Provided by the Money and Pensions Service, it's aimed at staff and volunteers working in the third, community and public sectors. With over 20 hours of elearning, hundreds of events on offer and a community of practice at your side, this free programme will help you to help others.Agenda?: 09:30 AM - 10:00 AMArrival & NetworkingInfo: Upon arrival, delegates will complete registration before enjoying refreshments whilst networking with attendees and speakers.?: 10:00 AM - 10:15 AMWelcome & IntroductionsInfo: Money Guiders Scotland will kick start the event with a warm welcome and scene setting.?: 10:15 AM - 11:00 AMLoan Sharks and Illegal Lending with Scottish Illegal Money Lending UnitInfo: John Pollock, Prevention and Support Officer at the Scottish Illegal Money Lending Unit (SIMLU), will deliver an insight-packed session on illegal lending in Scotland. Practitioners will learn how and where loan sharks operate, who they may target, and how to spot the warning signs. The session will also cover how to support customers to avoid illegal lenders, report suspicious lending activity, and access support from SIMLU. Practitioners will gain a clear understanding of the vital part they can play in the prevention and intervention of illegal lending in Scotland.?: 11:00 AM - 11:10 AMRefreshment Break?: 11:10 AM - 11:50 AMCredit Unions and Affordable Credit with Scottish League of Credit UnionsInfo: Dermot O’Neill, CEO of the Scottish League of Credit Unions (SLCU), brings over 20 years’ experience in the credit union movement. He will explain how credit unions work and the important role they can play in widening access to affordable credit. The session will explore the benefits of borrowing from a credit union, including fair lending, clear repayment terms, affordability checks and support to build regular savings habits. Practitioners will also consider how credit unions and other responsible lenders can offer safer alternatives to high-cost credit, particularly for people who may struggle to access mainstream borrowing.?: 11:50 AM - 12:30 PMLunch & NetworkingInfo: Enjoy lunch and refreshments while connecting with fellow attendees and speakers.?: 12:30 PM - 01:00 PMDebt Help - Every Conversation Counts with Money Advice ScotlandInfo: Estell Kerr, Money Advice Consultant at Money Advice Scotland, will explore what problem debt is, the warning signs to look out for, and how free money and debt advice works in practice. This session will help practitioners recognise when someone may be struggling, raise awareness of free debt help, and set clear expectations so people feel more confident accessing expert support.?: 01:00 PM - 02:00 PMQ&A + Discussion PanelInfo: Alongside speakers and panellists, attendees will reflect on the day’s key learning and themes, considering how these can inform money guidance practice. There will also be an opportunity to discuss the issues affecting practitioners and the people they support locally, share insights from different services, and explore ways to strengthen signposting and referral pathways.?: 02:00 PM - 02:30 PMEvent Close & Networking - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/inverness/money-guidance-in-practice-loan-sharks-affordable-credit-and-debt-help/100001993997342729 - **Event Categories**: fitness - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 5 hours - Location: Inverness Town House - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 0, max: 0, currency: GBP ## Event venue details - **city**: Inverness - **state**: SC - **country**: United Kingdom - **location**: Inverness Town House - **lat**: 57.4775786 - **long**: -4.2249584 - **full address**: Inverness Town House, High Street, Inverness, United Kingdom ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/b9e95ae0d8e568016d7c227dbc434f38182cea7f8d8a5001858569d8ae4fbeea-rimg-w1200-h600-dc10199f-gmir.jpg?v=1784207033 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help being held? - **A:** Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help takes place on Thu, 27 Aug, 2026 at 09:30 am to Thu, 27 Aug, 2026 at 02:30 pm at Inverness Town House, High Street, Inverness, United Kingdom. - **Q**: Who is organizing Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help? - **A:** Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help is organized by Money Guiders Scotland Network. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help is ideal for curious learners, students, and skill-builders looking to gain hands-on knowledge and practical expertise in a focused, interactive setting. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Inverness, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. If Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help sounds like your kind of event, don't wait - spots fill up fast. ## Structured Data (JSON-LD) ```json [ { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Event", "name": "Money Guidance in Practice: Loan Sharks, Affordable Credit and Debt Help", "image": "https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events7/banners/b9e95ae0d8e568016d7c227dbc434f38182cea7f8d8a5001858569d8ae4fbeea-rimg-w1200-h600-dc10199f-gmir.jpg?v=1784207033", "startDate": "2026-08-27", "endDate": "2026-08-27", "url": "https://allevents.in/inverness/money-guidance-in-practice-loan-sharks-affordable-credit-and-debt-help/100001993997342729", "location": { "@type": "Place", "name": "Inverness Town House", "address": { "@type": "PostalAddress", "streetAddress": "High Street", "postalCode": "IV1 1JJ", "addressLocality": "Inverness", "addressRegion": "SC", "addressCountry": "GB" }, "geo": { "@type": "GeoCoordinates", "latitude": "57.4775786", "longitude": "-4.2249584" } }, "eventAttendanceMode": "https://schema.org/OfflineEventAttendanceMode", "description": "Take your money guidance to the next level and help your customers avoid loan sharks, access safer credit and get debt advice early.", "offers": [ { "@type": "AggregateOffer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-07", "availabilityEnds": "2026-08-27", "validFrom": "2026-09-07", "lowPrice": "0.00", "highPrice": "0.00", "price": "0.00", "url": "https://allevents.in/inverness/money-guidance-in-practice-loan-sharks-affordable-credit-and-debt-help/100001993997342729" }, { "@type": "Offer", "availability": "https://schema.org/InStock", "priceCurrency": "GBP", "availabilityStarts": "2026-09-07", "availabilityEnds": "", "validFrom": "2026-09-07", "url": "https://allevents.in/inverness/money-guidance-in-practice-loan-sharks-affordable-credit-and-debt-help/100001993997342729", "price": 0, "name": "General Admission" } ], "organizer": [ { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Money Guiders Scotland Network", "url": "https://allevents.in/org/money-guiders-scotland-network/23933527", "description": "The Money Guiders Scotland Networkis a growing community across the nation that isfree for you to join, dedicated to improving your money guidance knowledge and skills. The Network hosts an annual programme of webinars, workshops, training sessions and forums - they're all listed on thisCalendaralongwith other events across the UK, supported by theMoney Guidersprogramme and theMoney and Pensions Service." } ] } ] ```