Statement: Lambeth Law Centre
We’re extremely sad to hear that one of our debt advice partners, Lambeth Law Centre, has been forced to cease all operations as of 16th July 2019.
Lambeth Law Centre was a long-standing member of the Debt Free Advice partnership which is made up of 26 debt charities. Their team have provided invaluable debt advice to thousands of over-indebted Londoners since the formation of the partnership in 2006.
As the lead partner in the Debt Free Advice partnership, Toynbee Hall is committed to ensuring that free, expert and easy to access debt advice is available to everyone across Greater London. As such, we are in discussions with local advice agencies in the Lambeth to ensure residents are still able to access the advice and continue to receive ongoing support they need.
If you have received support from Lambeth Law Centre and are affected by their closure, please call our freephone line on 0808 164 2480 (Monday to Friday, 10 am – 5 pm) or visit debtfreeadvice.com and one of our team will be able to call you back.
Matt Dronfield
Head of the Debt Free Advice partnership
16 July 2019
Debt Free Advice report finds that growing and increasingly complex debt is damaging the health of Londoners
Debt Free Advice, a partnership of 26 advice charities across London led by Toynbee Hall, launches a new report on Tuesday 16th July which highlights the extent of problem debt in London and the issues that they are dealing with most frequently.
Read the full Working for a Debt Free Advice report here
The report shows that 90% of the 25,000 Londoners helped by Debt Free Advice last year said that their debt has negatively affected their health. Cases are rising in complexity, leading people to get further into difficulty, increasing the people’s need for more assistance to understand their options, and leading to widespread anxiety and stress.
Across its 26 partners which include law centres, community organisations, charities and advice providers, Debt Free Advice helped over 25,000 people last year and saw demand for advice reach record levels as the number of over-indebted people in London reached an estimated 1.6 million.
Another cause for major concern is that the two most common issues people came to the partnership to seek help for last year were Council Tax and rent arrears, which are both priority debts. Over a third (34%) of respondents are behind on these.
Debts classed as ‘priority’ carry extremely serious repercussions such as the threat of bailiffs, homelessness or even imprisonment. In total 15% of our clients had a visit from bailiffs – most often, as a result of council tax bills (23%).
Matt Dronfield, Head of Debt Free Advice, recently said in a report by the Mayor of London:
“Huge numbers of Londoners live every day with problem debt. They might face arrears for punishingly high rent or for council tax; or struggling to pay off high interest loans, store card or credit card bills; owing money to friends and families who have helped out; or a combination of all these things. It is a bleak picture, with huge consequences for ordinary Londoners and their families such ill health and the risk of homelessness. Living with anxiety and the fear of a knock on the door from a bailiff is significantly hurting the health of Londoners.”
Caroline Siarkiewicz, Acting Chief Executive of Money Advice and Pensions Service, who fund Debt Free Advice said:
“Clearly, one of the biggest issues we face is helping those who fall into financial difficulty. When people struggle with debt it can be overwhelming, and it’s vital they have access to the right support and advice to help them manage their finances.
One thing I recognise and value is that – this partnership has the people they serve right at the heart of their services. I know this at the work they do helps to make a real difference to the lives of those who are affected by financial difficulties, something this report helps shine a light on.”
Deputy Mayor of London for Social Integration, Social Mobility and Community Engagement, Debbie Weekes-Bernard said:
“Worrying about problem debt can have a devastating impact on a person’s mental health and wellbeing and it is simply not right that millions of Londoners, many of whom are in work, are having to rely on credit cards and short-term loans simply to get by.
“Though the statistics are sobering, Debt Free Advice is a great example of how charities can work together to begin to fill the gap in support for those burdened by debt and feeling isolated, and help them navigate their financial difficulties and find light at the end of the tunnel.”
London’s debt advice partnership relaunches as Debt Free Advice to help more Londoners out of debt
Debt Free Advice (formerly known as Capitalise) is making its service easier to find, understand and use. It has helped over 250,000 people since launching in 2006, however, debt is still a growing problem across the capital.
Capitalise, a London-wide partnership of organisations led by Toynbee Hall and funded by the Money & Pensions Service to provide free debt advice to Londoners, is rebranding as Debt Free Advice.
Why are we rebranding?
The change to Debt Free Advice says exactly what we want to achieve for Londoners seeking help with debt. For that reason, the new campaign enables the service to be a much more obvious destination for those searching for help online.
Debt Free Advice will officially launch on 29th April with a new, simpler website . Alongside the website, we are launching an advertising campaign on 700 buses, DLR trains and online adverts on Facebook and Instagram
The new Debt Free London logo
How can Debt Free Advice help?
London is one of the world’s most expensive cities to live in and work and therefore debt is a much more common issue than many think; virtually anyone can experience money problems at any time. There are almost 1.3 million adults who are struggling to make ends meet across London, it is a growing problem. To date, Debt Free Advice’s expert advisers have supported over 250,000 over indebted Londoners.
Examples of money problems that Debt Free Advice’s people have helped resolve include illness, meaning that people cannot work; unexpected emergency property repairs; benefits overpayments and unexpectedly high utility bills. It can also help with credit and store-card, rent, council tax and almost any other debt issues.
Debt Free Advice’s service is completely free. If people have worries about debt they can call free on 0808 164 2480 for a brief assessment to establish the nature and urgency of the debt. If required, Debt Free Advice will arrange a face-to-face appointment or a telephone advice session. Anyone worried about debt can also contact Debt Free Advice via its website debtfreeadvice.com.
As a result, Debt Free Advice will discuss options with you and talk through the pros and cons of each and tailored solutions for each specific situation. Debt Free Advice helps resolve debts when an appropriate, tailored solution is established. This could include advocacy, representation and negotiation with creditors. We can also assist with letter writing and ongoing support throughout the resolution process.
The organisations that are part of the Debt Free Advice partnership provide free face-to-face debt advice in different areas of London. Our partners have all been awarded a recognised Specialist Quality Mark to provide debt advice at casework or specialist level.