19 August 2025

Estelle Kerr

I never planned to work in money and debt advice. My career began in healthcare—I trained as a nurse for two years before moving to New Zealand, where I worked as an Ambulance Officer with St John and later supported people with Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neurone Disease. It was intense, emotional work, and while money problems often emerged with patients, I never thought money advice was something I’d ever be involved in. Honestly, I didn’t even know it existed as a career.

Fast forward nine years. I was back in Scotland, working as a First Aid Trainer with the British Red Cross when a close friend reached out in crisis. Their debt had snowballed, and the stress was debilitating. They couldn’t face the calls, the letters—some unopened and stacked in a suitcase. I stepped in to help.

I contacted our local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) on their behalf. To get involved officially, we needed a signed permission letter, but my friend wasn’t able to cope with even that. So, the CAB sent a money advice pack directly to me. It included blank income and expenditure forms, creditor lists, and a list of the paperwork needed for the next steps.

Sorting through the suitcase of letters was surprisingly manageable. Within a couple of hours, I had everything organised by date and creditor. I binned the duplicates and kept only the most relevant correspondence. Then came the harder part—filling in forms, chasing details, and encouraging my friend to share everything required for an appointment. That part took real patience. They were overwhelmed, unable to focus, and couldn’t see a way forward.

By the time we got to the money advice appointment, I had everything prepared in a logical, easy-to-follow format. I didn’t want to waste time—my work schedule was tight, and I wanted quick results. The adviser looked at the neatly organised documents and told me I’d done the toughest part already. From there, they simply input the information and presented the available solutions. I was stunned to learn there were three viable options. My friend chose sequestration—something they hadn’t even known was possible.

A few weeks later, the adviser rang me up—not with more paperwork, but with a question. After praising how I’d handled the case, they asked: “Would you consider volunteering with our money advice team?” I said yes.

And that’s how it started. I began as a volunteer, learning from the two experienced advisers on the team. Eventually, they both retired, and I stepped into a full-time adviser role.

I found I absolutely loved the work. Every case was different, every client had a unique story, and the feeling of helping someone see a way out of what felt like an impossible situation was incredible. It wasn’t always easy—especially getting clients to gather the right information—but I understood the emotional toll debt takes, and I knew how to support people through that initial overwhelm.

Before that phone call, I had never heard of ‘third sector’ or money advice. I had no idea this kind of work even existed. Now I can’t imagine doing anything else.

Would I recommend this career path to others? Absolutely. It’s not just rewarding—it’s transformative. For clients, and for you.