Today debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP Scotland) are launching their new #BreakFree campaign across Scotland, encouraging those with problem debt and to engage with free debt help services across all local CAP Scotland centres.
This campaign follows a CAP Scotland report earlier this year, which highlighted that 45% of CAP’s clients did not know where to seek help, and half had waitedover a year before seeking debt help.
The 2021 client report by CAP Scotland showed the average peak debt for a CAP client household in Scotland was £19,369 which is higher than the UK average of £17,917. Moreover, the report found it would take Scottish client households an average of 43 years to pay off their debts without debt help. That’s the longest in the UK.
CAP Scotland is a professionally recognised charity that works to help those on low incomes struggling with problem debt. The charity offers a free face-to-face debt help service, with advice and ongoing support. CAP Scotland also provides a range of group services that equip people with practical skills including Job Clubs, Life Skills and CAP Money Courses.
Emma Jackson, Director of CAP Scotland said:
“Our services provide practical, person centred support and are completely free and open to all. At CAP, we know, problem debt can devastate people’s lives, affecting physical and mental health. It can destroy relationships and cause so much unnecessary shame and embarrassment that robs people of dignity, causing such isolation.”
“We know that many people are worried about how they are going to cope this winter with rising food and fuel costs. Our hope is this campaign will encourage those who need help to reach out to organisations like CAP and start their journey to becoming debt free.”
CAP Scotland has been providing debt help for over twenty years and continues to grow its network and reach across Scotland with 26 Debt Centres and many more additional skills courses.
The work of CAP Scotland can have a far-reaching, positive impact on people’s lives. Laura is a CAP Scotland client from Edinburgh, she said “I didn’t have enough money to go to a supermarket and get a proper shop. I’d lost so much weight and been sleep deprived for weeks. I would definitely recommend CAP to anyone who is struggling with how to manage their debts. You can speak to someone and it really takes the pressure away. I’m sleeping a lot better now, knowing that Mairi [CAP Debt Centre Manager] is going to take over. I don’t have to be the one making the phone calls and being scared.”
Debt Centre Manager Nicky who runs Wishaw CAP Debt Centre said, “Even though I had a good idea of the extent of social deprivation through my previous work, I was surprised at just how damaging debt alone can be to many areas of people’s lives, and how easy it is to get into that situation, but much harder to get out of it. I feel delighted when someone goes debt-free! It’s great to see someone close a dark chapter of their life story and begin a new one full of hope and freedom.”
To find your local CAP Debt Centre in Scotland please go to www.capscotland.org
