People in York struggling with debt 'urged to seek help'
A Christians Against Poverty report reveals it would take the average Yorkshire household in debt 28 years to pay off what they owe.
A new report is warning about people in York feeling trapped and desperate in debt.
A Christians Against Poverty report - released this morning - shows the average peak debt for a household in Yorkshire was £16,796 in 2020. It would take on average 28 years for a Yorkshire household to pay off their debts, with people likely to have around 14 different debts.
CAP clients were asked about their lives before they got debt help:
Suicidal - Over a quarter (28%) considered or attempted suicide before seeking debt help
Hungry - Over a third (37%) sacrificed meals because they couldn't afford to eat
Trapped - Over half (58%) felt trapped in poverty with nobody to turn to when they had a problem
Young people were the least likely age group to seek help despite them being among the hardest hit during the pandemic. Only 8% of CAP clients in 2020 were aged between 18-25.
Matt Dungee is the Debt Centre Manager in York Christians Against Poverty: "In the last few months we've seen more people on Universal Credit - perhaps for the first time.
"Sadly, the average debt has increased for a lot of my clients to around the £15-20,000 mark. Many more people are struggling because of a loss of jobs and their mental health. I've seen people who are in debt from running their own business, which I haven't seen much of in the past.
"More people are considering suicide, which is really hard and down to stress and anxiety about the future. My message to those families is that no matter how bad things may seem, there is help and there is somebody who will listen and not judge you.
"Try not to delay taking action. Don't feel ashamed or guilty; none of us were prepared for the last 12 months. Do seek help, even if it's to get a budget or money management advice.
"We care about the person, and we want the best outcome. It's a free service tailored to your situation. CAP and other debt charities work with all national creditors, regardless of who you owe money to. We have good relationships with them, so sometimes we can get them off your back and sometimes get the interest stopped for a period of time - so you can get on top of things".
Former CAP client, Paula Goddard, explains how debt impacted her family: “My husband and I worked for the same company and we were both made redundant. After the redundancy the debts started building; rent arrears, Council Tax arrears, doorstep loans, catalogue loans.
“We were missing meals four or five nights a week so that the kids could have dinner. I didn’t want to go out, I couldn’t speak to anyone on the phone. It was a horrendous time.”
CAP’s CEO, Paula Stringer, says: "Our latest report gives just a glimpse of how much the COVID-19 pandemic has affected people’s lives. I believe there are millions more families in debt across the UK still suffering in silence.
"Despite all the challenges of the last year, we want everyone to know there is hope. There are charities out there who can offer free, expert help out of debt. Getting debt help can quickly relieve the pressure, ease the strain on people's mental health and help them get their lives back on track."