Presbyterian Support Otago is the big winner from a shake-up of budget advisory services, while other Dunedin agencies have lost contracts.
In Dunedin, Anglican Family Care and the Corpac Trust were unsuccessful, and another Dunedin service has lost a third of its funding. Services in North Otago, Central Otago, South Otago and Gore were also unsuccessful.
The Ministry of Social Development says it overhauled budget services because client needs were more complex than "simply requiring help with managing budgets''.
Anglican Family Care director Nicola Taylor said the budget service would end on November 1. However, it was only part of what Anglican Family Care provided.
Mrs Taylor had not been formally advised yesterday where to refer budget advisory clients.
"The timeframes are very poor. In exactly a fortnight's time ... our funding ends, our service ends, and we have clients to transition.
"I wish the new provider all the best, but my word, it's going to be a bit of a scramble.''
One employee, who did not have a permanent contract, would be out of work as a result. A second budget adviser resigned recently due to uncertainty about the service's future, Mrs Taylor confirmed.
Anglican Family Care jointly bid for the new service with Corpac Trust, of Dunedin, three other Otago services and the Gore service.
The impact is more serious for Corpac Trust, whose focus is budget advice for clients with mental health issues.
"It will have a significant impact. Our board has yet to determine what we're going to do,'' Corpac Trust manager Mike Williams said.
The contract was worth about $58,000 per year and was a significant portion of the trust's funding. The trust had four staff members. Job losses were possible, and would depend on what the board decided.
It was an anxious time for the trust and its clients.
"I'm concerned about ensuring that our clients have an effective and appropriate service to support them,'' Mr Williams said.
Dunedin Budget Advisory Service executive officer Andrew Henderson said the service had secured an MSD contract but its funding was slashed by about a third.
"We have survived but we do have a reduction in our funding.''
Mr Henderson said the service would apply for community grants to make up the shortfall.
"I don't predict our phone's going to ring any less come the first of November.''
Waiting times for clients were likely to increase, he said.
"We may have to be more targeted in who we are assisting.''
The service had four paid staff members and 44 volunteers, Mr Henderson said.
In a statement, PSO chief executive Gillian Bremner said PSO would deliver the new Building Financial Capability programme throughout Otago.
"With offices and staff across the province, our Family Works team look forward to expanding their existing skills and capacity to include this new programme,'' she said.
PSO has not had an MSD contract for budget advisory services before, but gives budget advice in its social work service.
"The six core principles guiding the Building Financial Capability programme - be client centred; integrated and connected; culturally relevant; accessible; strengths based; and whanau centred - are consistent with the Family Works practice framework,'' Mrs Bremner said.
