More than 15M people face severe financial strain in the UK. Christians Against Poverty launches face-to-face debt help to tackle New Year burdens.
Newsroom (08/01/2026 Gaudium Press ) As the confetti is swept away and the glow of the holidays fades, a stark financial reality is dawning on millions across the United Kingdom. According to Christians Against Poverty (CAP), more than 15 million people entered 2026 facing what the charity has called a “frightening financial reality.”
The national debt help organisation has launched a free, face-to-face debt assistance and money coaching programme in partnership with churches across the UK to respond to what it sees as a growing emergency. The initiative aims to meet people where they are—literally—by inviting them into local debt centres for in-person guidance and planning.
A new survey commissioned by CAP and conducted by Opinium paints a sobering picture of post-holiday finances. Some 5.3 million adults said that Christmas spending placed additional pressure on already overstretched budgets, deepening their anxiety as the New Year began.
A call for community and compassion
“The first few weeks of the New Year can be tough, but for millions of people this financial strain is acute,” said Stewart McCulloch, CAP’s chief executive officer.
McCulloch explained that CAP’s new Break the Debt Blues campaign is about sending a clear message: no one should feel they must face debt alone. “Whether you need a full debt solution or just help to talk through and plan a budget that actually works, free help is available,” he said.
He encouraged those struggling with debt to take the first step, assuring them that CAP’s process is built on personal connection. “On that first call, we’ll connect you with your nearest debt centre, provided in partnership with a local church, and arrange for one of our debt coaches to meet you in person,” McCulloch added.
He emphasised that the charity’s face-to-face model remains central to its success. “So many people appreciate that human support; it gives us the chance to sit down, chat, and properly understand what you are going through,” he said. “Whether you’re facing a mountain of unopened letters or just don’t know where to start, we can help you gather everything needed to put a plan in place.”
From despair to hope
For many, like Sharon—a former CAP client turned volunteer—the difference that support made was life-changing.
“I was a mum with young kids, thousands of pounds in debt, and I honestly thought I’d never get out of the mess I was in,” she recalled. It was only after hearing about CAP’s services that she picked up the phone and reached out. Soon, she was connected with a local advisor named Kathryn and a volunteer befriender, Carol.
“They sat with me and we opened the piles of bills I’d been too terrified to face,” she said. “They held my hand through the whole process, helping put a debt management plan in place. Today, I am completely debt-free.”
Now, Sharon helps others in similar positions through local drop-in sessions. Her message for anyone feeling overwhelmed this January is straightforward but heartfelt: “Please, don’t let fear stop you from making that call. You do not have to carry this worry alone.”
An urgent national issue
With inflation, high energy costs, and the lingering ripple effects of previous years of economic strain, CAP’s new initiative underscores a painful economic truth: personal debt in the UK remains a national concern, cutting deeper after the financial demands of the festive season.
As churches across Britain open their doors to host debt centres and coaching sessions, CAP’s leaders hope this growing network can help lift thousands out of crisis—and remind them, as McCulloch put it, that “hope and help are only a conversation away.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from The Tablet
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