Loan Shark Awareness Sessions – Free Community Training
- Clerk
- Apr 17
- 1 min read
Residents, community groups, and local organisations are being encouraged to take part in a series of free Loan Shark Awareness Sessions, designed to help protect individuals and families from illegal money lending.
Delivered by the Illegal Money Lending Team (also known as Stop Loan Sharks), these sessions aim to raise awareness of the risks posed by loan sharks and provide practical guidance on how to identify and support those affected.
Why this matters
With ongoing financial pressures affecting many households, more people may feel forced to look for quick access to cash. Unfortunately, this can make them vulnerable to illegal lenders.
Loan sharks are criminals. They often appear friendly and supportive at first, but their aim is to exploit. They may:
Charge extremely high interest rates
Use intimidation or threats
Trap people in cycles of debt
These sessions help participants understand how these individuals operate and, importantly, how to respond.
What the session covers
Each session (lasting 1 hour 30 minutes) will provide:
Awareness of illegal money lending and how it works
Signs that someone may be a victim
Guidance on how to safely support and signpost individuals
Information on safe and affordable alternatives to borrowing
This training is particularly valuable for anyone working closely with the community, including volunteers, local groups, parish representatives, and frontline staff.
Session dates and booking
You can book onto any of the following sessions:
19 May 2026 – 10:00am
17 September 2026 – 1:30pm
24 November 2026 – 9:30am
25 February 2027 – 1:30pm
