StepChange Debt Charity response to The Children’s Society findings

_{6 March 2017}

In response to today’s findings from The Children’s Society showing that 620,000 families in England and Wales are spending more on overdue bills than food, Peter Tutton, Head of Policy at StepChange Debt Charity, said:

“No one should ever be in a position where the pressure to repay debts risks causing harm to them or their family. The evidence is clear; households are not getting the protection they need against spiralling debts and the hardship that can result."

“There is a major gap in the protections available to people struggling with debt. People who are in difficulty, but who have a reasonable chance of recovering their finances and reaching a position where they can repay their debts, need a guarantee of protections from additional interest, charges and enforcement action."

"Breathing Space’ is the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to debt solutions and already has widespread support. As levels of personal borrowing approach their 2008 peak, we need a set of policy measures that will better protect those who will inevitably fall into difficulty.”