'An £8,000 debt pushed me to breaking point'
Summary
A man named Dean from Bradford fell into £8,000 of debt due to many life problems like illness, job loss, and bereavement. A charity called Christians Against Poverty (CAP) helped him, and their report shows many people in Yorkshire struggle with growing debts mostly related to basic living costs, causing serious mental health issues.Key Facts
- Dean, aged 58, had debts of about £8,000 from catalogues and online credit after losing his job and facing health problems.
- Dean attempted suicide three times due to the stress from debt.
- Christians Against Poverty (CAP) helped Dean and many others cope with debt and its mental toll.
- CAP’s report says the average debt for people seeking help is about £12,000, with payments taking almost nine years.
- Most debts are now for essentials like food, fuel, school uniforms, and rent, not luxury items.
- Only about 25% of CAP’s clients can repay their debts within a reasonable time, compared to 40% fourteen years ago.
- Around 46% of people helped by CAP have considered or attempted suicide.
- Debt advisers are seeing more calls from people in deep financial distress, unable to afford basic needs after paying rent.
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