Bearing the burden: Unravelling women’s debt dilemma
November 2023
In the past few years, there have been periods of economic uncertainty for households in the UK, which have left many people across the country financially vulnerable, irrespective of gender.
Joined up: supporting debt advice clients through strong referral partnerships
November 2023
This report, written by colleagues at the Personal Finance Research Centre, presents new evidence about debt advice referrals, which aims to stimulate discussion about how to ensure referrals work well for debt advice clients across a complex ecosystem.
The report contains analysis of StepChange debt advice data and interviews with StepChange colleagues including debt advisors, and other sector colleagues
Private renters twice as likely to be in problem debt as general population
May 2023
StepChange clients are more likely to be private renters than any other housing tenure. Increasingly, these clients report an additional vulnerability, such as poor mental or physical health, or a disability. Over half (52%) of clients who are in vulnerable circumstances rent privately.
Gambling and problem debt
October 2022
Exploring the link between gambling and problem debt.
Mixed messages
September 2022
Why creditor communications to people in financial difficulty need to offer a clearer, better route to help.
One year of Breathing Space: Our initial findings
July 2022
People who accessed Breathing Space through StepChange in its first year of operation were more likely to complete advice, enter a debt solution, and achieve more positive wellbeing outcomes than other clients, according to a new survey of StepChange Debt Charity clients.
Hardship by design? How to end unaffordable debt deductions
June 2022
This report is based on analysis of budget data of clients on Universal Credit with an overpayment debt. Assessing how appropriate the current DWP deduction rates are – 15% for out of work claimants and 25% for those in-work earning more than £60 a month.
Client outcomes during Covid 19: Understanding client outcomes during the Covid 19 pandemic
March 2022
Our latest report compares the experience of clients who sought advice before the pandemic to those who sought advice during the pandemic.
Problem debt and the credit safety net
January 2022
Over four million people in Great Britain struggling to keep up with bills and credit repayments have recently borrowed to make ends meet.
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.