Real life stories

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Read Feefo and TrustPilot reviews from people who have shared their experiences of being on debt management plans (DMPs) and individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) with StepChange.

Sophie’s story

“At our worst, we were worried about keeping our roof over our heads. We didn't know if the lights would be cut off or if we'd be able to keep up with all the things our family needed. We were worried about putting food on the table and buying school uniforms for our older daughter. It was absolutely terrifying.”

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Jamie's story

"Credit cards became my main way of paying bills, buying food. I thought it was only a short term thing and it wouldn't last very long."

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Matt's story

"After a while, things started to get tight and I was struggling to keep on top of my credit commitments. I also slid into rent arrears."

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Carol's story

"I was fortunate that my sister helped out with a couple of mortgage payments. I was just trying to keep a roof over my head and keep myself fed."

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Emma's story

"We accumulated council tax arrears and fell behind on our rent, and couldn’t find the money to pay for food, gas and electricity. I felt worthless."

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Alannah's story

"I live with a range of different long-term health conditions, which means that for a while I was reliant on ESA and PIP for my income. Things were tight and I was being underpaid due to an error."

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Chris's story

"A few years ago I was diagnosed with a chronic lung condition which meant I had to give up the new career I was passionate about. I didn’t have the money to pay off my debts and I needed to focus on my health."

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Sarah's story

"It’s really common for people who are neurodivergent to find financial management difficult... even though some of us are able to work and can look as if we are coping a lot of the time."

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Hannah's story

"I loved my job as a care home assistant, but after dislocating my knee and ending up in the office for a short time, I was made redundant because I couldn't drive. I also happened to get pregnant around the same time."

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Thomas's story

"When I was in the grips of my addiction every month I would end up spending my income on various bets and games, and would then be forced to take out credit to pay for my essential living costs."

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Jaspal's story

"My wife and I were doing ok financially and had accumulated a fair amount of credit card debt, but we were able to manage it fine. However, when my wife broke her leg, she wasn’t able to work the night shifts that she’d been doing in a warehouse to keep us afloat. At one point, whilst I was temporarily out of work, I became convinced that we were going to lose everything."

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Courtney's story

"I got into credit card debt after being offered a credit card at 18 years old, which I relied on because I was trying to keep up with all of my friends and never wanted to say no to nights out and holidays, which meant I always living above my means."

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Nikki's story

"Before I was in debt, I lived a fairly comfortable life. I had worked abroad and was married with 3 children. However, after we separated, my ex-husband struggled financially and eventually the child maintenance payments stopped when my youngest went to university."

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Kevin's story

"Debt never used to be something I worried about. I worked in the financial sector in Canary Wharf and was on a really good wage. I quickly started using credit cards to support the lifestyle I had. However, things fell apart when I was made redundant twice in a row."

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Salma's story

"A few years ago, I was suddenly made redundant alongside a large number of my colleagues. I didn’t feel able to tell anyone close to me because of a recent family bereavement and because my mum had her own health issues to be concerned about."

Find out more about Salma