Free debt centres opens to help High Peak residents struggling with finances

The Christians Against Poverty’s (CAP) free debt management service has opened at the Revive Church in New Mills.

Mark Willbourne, CAP High Peak Debt Centre Manager, said: “We are already booked up with clients for all of March and April which just shows how much of a need there is for this service in the High Peak.

“It has been a tough few years with people getting furloughed during covid and now we have the soaring costs and people are struggling to make ends meet.

“People are turning to credit cards then are struggling to make repayments and the problems people are facing are getting worse.”CAP is the largest not for profit debt agency in the country and even endorsed by the Money Saving Expert Martin Lewis.

Mark said: “Burying your head in the sand doesn’t make the problem go away it just makes it harder to deal with.

“We know facing up to your finances can be scary but we provide one to one support and we go through the whole process with our clients.

“We don’t just give them advice, we do it with them and for them.”

The free service covers all of the SK22 and SK23 postcodes and some of the SK17 postcodes.

The charity works with those in unmanageable debt.

Mark said: “Someone could be £500 in debt which for some may a debt they can get themselves out of but for that one person it is an unmanageable debt.

“We look at a person’s budget, prioritise essential bills and for those in debt we make a repayment plan where only one payment comes out and we then pay their creditors.”Mark, who also works with the job club, wants to see people have better prospects in life.

He said: “It’s about giving back to families and freeing up money to grab an ice cream from the ice cream van or a takeaway tea every now and again and giving people their quality of life back.”For anyone struggling with debt contact Mark on [email protected] to book an appointment.

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