The true cost of tax credit overpayments: A fairer approach
September 2021
The Department for Work and Pensions should be using best practice, such as affordability assessments, to decide if people can pay back the debt. Instead, they take deductions from Universal Credit payments, which pushes people into deeper hardship.
Stormy Weather: Covid and Debt
April 2021
Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic in the UK, we have monitored the impacts of the pandemic on personal finances and problem debt. In January 2021, we commissioned updated public polling to better understand how households have coped during the winter.
Preventing a Covid-19 debt crisis
December 2020
We commissioned national polling to understand how coronavirus has affected personal finances six months into the pandemic in the UK.
Coronavirus and personal debt: a financial recovery strategy for households
June 2020
Our latest briefing reveals that a personal debt tsunami of £6 billion is already being stored up among some 4.6 million households and, if left unchecked, is set to worsen.
Action needed to prevent a council tax enforcement ‘cliff-edge’ following coronavirus
May 2020
We ask the Government to do more to protect people who’ve fallen behind on council tax bills as a result of the current crisis.
Paths to Recovery: understanding client outcomes 15 months after debt advice
March 2020
This report outlines the latest findings from our client outcomes project, focussing on the outcomes of clients at 15 months after debt advice. The report also revisits key measures discussed in our first report, ‘Measuring Client Outcomes’, published in 2019.
Flaws in social security are causing debt and destitution
January 2020
Our report shows that inadequate social support is causing hardship and risks causing problem debt.
Our latest research highlights the real cost of Christmas
December 2019
Survey results show that a third of Brits turn to credit to get them through the festive season.
Life happens: financial resilience in a world of uncertainty
July 2019
What situations trigger people's spiral of financial difficulties, and why are so many people falling into problem debt as a result?
Red Card: subprime credit cards and problem debt
July 2019
4 million people in the UK have a subprime credit card. Our Red Card report examines the relationship between subprime credit cards and problem debt.
Hardship now, or hardship later?
June 2019
Our joint briefing with The Trussell Trust shows that Advance Payments – the loans people can apply for while they wait at least five weeks for Universal Credit – push people into hardship and aren't the solution to the five week wait.
Measuring Client Outcomes: Why debt advice matters
February 2019
Since 2017, we've been piloting a project which regularly measures the outcomes of our clients in problem debt. The report looks at the process of conducting this research and our initial findings.
Locked Out
November 2018
Our briefing looks at how our clients' problem debt affected their access to housing and the security, quality and affordability of their homes, at a time they were trying to stabilise their finances or repay their debts.
Breaking the Link
June 2018
Our briefing looks at the financial circumstances of our clients with vulnerabilities. In 2017, we supported almost 29,500 people who had an additional vulnerability on top of their financial difficulties.
Behind on the basics
May 2018
Our briefing looks at households in arrears on their essential bills. 140,000 people who received debt advice from us in 2017 were behind on at least one of their essential household bills.
Affordable alternatives to high cost credit
March 2018
Our research looks at what sort of affordable credit can help low income households, so they don't have to turn to high cost credit.
Stuck in the red: Millions can't get out of their overdrafts
December 2017
Our new briefing looks at the impact persistent overdraft debt is having in the UK. Our clients to share their experiences about how their lives are affected by overdraft debt.
The problems of third party deductions
September 2017
Our new briefing looks at how third party deductions from benefits can make it difficult for families to pay for essentials, force them to turn to credit to keep on top of bills, and cause hardship.
Saving safety net report
July 2017
This paper summarises and responds to Pension Policy Institute (PPI) research commissioned by StepChange Debt Charity analysing the impact on retirement income of creating an accessible savings fund within a pension.
The high cost of credit: The need for more affordable alternatives to high cost credit
July 2017
Our new report finds that over a million people in Britain have to rely on high cost credit to cover the cost of essentials. There is a need for clear and coordinated action to build more accessible and affordable credit alternatives for the most financially vulnerable.
DAS survey results: 2017
May 2017
We surveyed over 450 clients who are paying off their debts through the DAS scheme in Scotland.