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Accountants seeking help rose 70% in 2012

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4th Jun 2013
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Chartered accountants charity CABA has seen a 70% increase in support enquiries on 2011.

The 116-year-old charity provides financial, mental health and career support to accountants in need.

CABA’s impact report for 2012 reports an increase in the number of people it supported from 450 in 2011 to 657 the following year.

Financial assistance is down on last year, with the charity providing £602,000 to 255 accountants in 2012 but this still remains the number one reason why accountants contact CABA.

Health and mental support are the second and third most common reasons respectively, something chief executive Kath Haines said is typical of CABA’s holistic approach.

“Quite often, when we do experience an accountant with financial difficulties, that can be the tip of the iceberg. There’s usually an underlying problem, which we also help with,” she said.

The increase in numbers may also be due to CABA’s new services, she added. These include a 24-hour online chat facility, a Beat the Blues online facility for people with anxiety or depression, and career coaching for accountants who are unemployed and want to get back into work.  

Half of the 57 accountants who completed the career coaching course have found employment, while a further 160 are currently attending it.

CABA’s employment support figures rose by 3% on last year. “We have had a lot of calls from people facing redundancy and some people who literally don’t know how they will get through the end of the week,” said Haines.

“Chartered accountants are independent people. They try to manage their situations themselves but to be frank anyone can be unlucky. We all need support sometimes.”

Haines's career included 14 years as a senior manager with PwC, working as a financial controller with Texas Homecare and later as a financial controller for English Churches Housing Group.

She joined CABA as finance director in 2007 and became chief executive in 2009, overseeing many of the changes the charity has gone through during the economic crisis.

Haines said she has made redundant several times during her career and added that her previous chairty work has helped in her current role.

“It’s really useful, I can relate to people in that sense and also in many different roles, as the ones I’ve held have varied from industry to retail to charity,” she said.

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7om
By Tom 7000
10th Jun 2013 15:18

CABA

A very worthwhile organisation.

I attended one of their presentations I was very impressed.

Lets hope we never have to use it.

 

The safety net of the last resort :)

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