MORE than 15 million people within the UK “suffer day by day anxiety about their funds”, and the “post-Christmas period often add[s] more pressure”, the chief executive of Christians Against Poverty, Stewart McCulloch, has said before the launch of the charity’s latest campaign.
The campaign, Break the Debt Blues, announced on Wednesday, involves partnerships with churches across the country.
In the hope of “demystifying the means of looking for debt help”, the charity has also released a “five-step guide” to the method that individuals contacting CAP for the primary time can expect.
Mr McCulloch said: “The first few weeks of the New Year could be tough, but for hundreds of thousands of individuals this financial strain is acute.” He cited a weighted poll of 2000 UK adults conducted by Opinium Research in September, which concluded that “over 15 million people within the UK suffer day by day anxiety about their funds, and the post-Christmas period often adds more pressure.”
This figure represented a slight improvement on the findings of a separate Opinium poll carried out in December 2024, which suggested that one third were “suffering day by day anxiety about their funds”, the equivalent of 17.1 million people across the population, CAP said.
Mr McCulloch continued: “Our message with our Break the Debt Blues campaign is straightforward: you wouldn’t have to face this alone. Whether you wish a full debt solution or just a few help to speak through and plan a budget that truly works, free help is out there.”
A former CAP client, Sharon, who now organises drop-ins at a debt centre, said in an announcement: “This New Year, I actually have one thing to say to anyone who’s within the situation I faced — please, don’t let fear stop you from making that decision. You wouldn’t have to hold this worry alone. There are friendly debt advisers at CAP who’re able to listen and aid you change your life, identical to they did mine.”
