Parts of the South Hams including Salcombe and Dartmouth are gearing up for a busy summer of tourism; but the season doesn’t last forever, and the drop in visitors can leave workers in a tricky place financially.

South-West Regional Manager at the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) Paul Fox offers guidance to hospitality and retail workers to help them make the most of the seasonal boost and prepare their finances for quieter months ahead using MoneyHelper.

Paul says, “Managing your money for the long-term is key to achieving good financial wellbeing, and we want people working in tourism in areas like Salcombe and across Devon to know that services such as MoneyHelper exist to offer guidance.”

“Regional tourism supports thousands of jobs across the UK and contributes greatly to the overall economy.

“These communities deserve financial tools that reflect their working patterns and income cycles, and to know that there is a friendly service like MoneyHelper to offer guidance at all times, including at times of need.”

There are a few things you can do to boost your long- term finances while summer is here and the tills are ringing.

If you’re over the age of 22 and earn more than £10,000 a year, you’ll be auto-enrolled into your workplace pension scheme.

Some workers in retail and hospitality hotspots may not meet the criteria, and you may not be automatically signed up to your workplace pension. You can still enrol, you'll just need to talk to your employer about it.

Being part of your workplace pension may also mean you benefit from employer contribution as well as tax relief on the income tax that you’d normally pay – essentially a top-up from the Government.

Working in the ‘gig economy’ where your income fluctuates can make it difficult to pay into your pension regularly. But you don’t have to pay into it every month – you can do so in busier periods and pause in quieter ones.

Every little bit you contribute adds up, so it’s worth paying into your pension in the summer season if you can.

Use MoneyHelper’s Pension Calculator to figure out what you’re on track to receive in retirement and see how that can change when you put even a little in your pension during the busy summer period. is

Sometimes it can be hard to know how much to save or how long it’ll take.

Working in the tourism economy, there is only so much saving or prepping you can do. Sometimes in the winter, you might just not have enough to see you through.

Paul says:

“At MaPS, we’re not trying to tell people who work in these areas what they already know – that visitors and income both fluctuate between busy and quieter seasons. What are here to do is help people financially prepare for those quieter months using MoneyHelper.”

MoneyHelper is here to help you make your money go further and is a place you can turn to if you’re in financial difficulties. Our tools are free, impartial, and easy to use.

Visit: MoneyHelper.org.uk