A NEW service has been rolled out to Lockerbie offering help to anyone in the area battling with debt issues.
THE CAP debt help team launched their free service earlier this year, initially serving Dumfries.
But they have now opened it up to those in the DG11 postcode who are in dire financial straits.
Paula White manages the debt centre, which has a base at the Baptist Church. She is backed up by fully trained advisors from Christians Against Poverty (CAP), and she works with befrienders, who are all trained and disclosed.
Their model has been operating nationwide for about 25 years whereby CAP takes on the debt and negotiates affordable payments with creditors, as well as setting up a realistic budget to cover all outgoings.
Paula, pictured, said: “It’s such a simple model, once it’s set up it’s reviewed once a year or if circumstances change.”
She believes there are many people locally who would benefit from their help and said: “Dumfries and Galloway is not known for being a high wage economy and there’s quite a bit of unemployment. Then the cost of living increases have made things a whole lot worse.
“It’s about trying to help people live better. There are any number of reasons people get into debt; redundancy, illness, accident, mental health, family breakdown. They could manage their debt before but with the change in circumstance it becomes unmanageable.
“The most important thing we do is debt help. We have highly trained debt advisors. More and more people are coming forward that need the support.
“The difference with CAP is our befrienders who stay in touch throughout the entire journey. They will feel like someone is on their side. If there’s something like an eviction court case, the befriender will go along with them so they do not have to face it alone.”
Paula stressed there is help there and a different way of dealing with this, adding: “Come and speak to us. Do not leave it until it’s bad. We are friendly and we care.
“It’s for anyone, there’s no barrier. We have specialists and we work at the clients’ pace at all times. Nothing is done without their decision making, they are taking control.
“If people commit to it, it can be life changing.”
CAP say that their average client in Scotland in 2022 had nine debts: three were priority debts with serious consequences, like rent and energy bills, while six were non priority like credit card bills and store cards.
“Potentially everyone knows someone in this situation,” said Paula.
“It’s not death that’s taboo in our society, it’s debt – and we need to break that down.”
* To get help, call free on 0800 328 0006 or go to capscotland.org. Paula is also happy to give talks to workplaces or organisations who know people who would benefit.
