Behind every figure in this report is a person facing difficult decisions about rent, household bills, family responsibilities, or a sudden change in circumstances.

This year, Debt Free Advice secured £24.4 million in financial gains for Londoners and supported more than 13,000 people across the capital. I am incredibly proud of what our advisers and partners have achieved.

The cost of living crisis may no longer dominate the headlines, but its effects are still being felt. More people are living with long-term health conditions, more people are struggling with housing costs, and new forms of borrowing are adding pressure to households already under strain.

The evidence remains clear. When people can access advice early, crises are prevented, financial outcomes improve, and people regain control of their situation. 

As we mark twenty years of Debt Free Advice, thank you to our advisers, partners, funders and, most importantly, the thousands of Londoners who have trusted us to support them.

Matt Dronfield
Managing Director 

What The Data Tells Us

"The data shows a clear shift in the nature of financial hardship. More clients are presenting with interconnected issues across debt, housing, health and income, rather than a single financial problem that can be resolved in isolation.

We can see this in the rise in clients who are unfit for work, the increase in temporary accommodation, and the growth of debts linked to telecoms and buy-now-pay-later products. These trends matter because they show where financial pressure is becoming embedded in people’s everyday lives."

Liam Randall
Head of Data & Impact