Press Releases

2023

December

High interest rates will bring more hardship for households in 2024 -14 December 2023

Improving communications is key to more people accessing debt advice - 7 December 2023

November

More than one in three households with children will struggle to afford Christmas - 28 November 2023

StepChange responds to rise in energy price cap - 23 November 2023

StepChange reacts to Autumn Statement - 22 November 2023

StepChange begins recruitment for new Chair - 16 November 2023

Women are bearing the brunt of the cost-of-living crisis in Scotland, says StepChange - 8 November 2023

Surge in women seeking debt advice who do not have enough to live on - 8 November 2023

October

StepChange responds to new FCA Buy Now, Pay Later research - 31 October 2023

StepChange responds to Bank of England Money and Credit statistics - 30 October 2023

Council tax and rent arrears on the rise among StepChange Scotland clients - 25 October 2023

StepChange responds to further rise in private rental prices - 18 October 2023

StepChange responds to proposed price cap rise to cover energy debts - 12 October 2023

September

StepChange responds to Bank of England Money and Credit statistics - 29 September 2023

Two in five people uncomfortable speaking to their mortgage lender or landlord about budget pressures - 25 September 2023

Pause in rate rises will bring relief, but housing costs most significant ‘pressure point’ for people’s finances, says StepChange - 21 September 2023

More than 1 in 3 private renters using credit to pay for rent - 20 September 2023

StepChange responds to outcome of Government consultation on insolvency regulation - 12 September 2023

August

StepChange responds to Bank of England’s Money and Credit figures- 30 August 2023

Drop in energy price cap will do little to alleviate pressure on households, says StepChange - 25 August 2023

StepChange responds to mortgage and landlord repossession statistics - 10 August 2023

StepChange responds to personal insolvency framework review - 4 August 2023

StepChange responds to base rate rise- 3 August 2023

StepChange responds to proposed Government ban on financial cold callers- 2 August 2023

July

StepChange responds to Bank of England’s Money and Credit figures - 31 July 2023

StepChange responds to FCA Financial Lives Survey - 26 July 2023

Debt charities warn of harmful misleading debt advice ads - 24 July 2023

Proportion of StepChange Scotland clients with mortgage arrears on the rise - 18 July 2023

StepChange responds to reports BNPL regulation could be delayed - 15 July 2023

StepChange sees increase in clients needing help with car finance debts - 11 July 2023

June

StepChange appoints three new members to its Board of Trustees - 29 June 2023

StepChange responds to Bank of England Money and Credit stats - 29 June 2023

Seven million mortgage holders struggling to keep up with household bills and credit commitments - 22 June 2023

Record rent levels leaving more tenants at risk of problem debt, says StepChange - 21 June 2023

StepChange wins two awards at the Credit Strategy Awards - 2 June 2023

StepChange responds to FCA’s Debt Packager referral fee ban - 2 June 2023

Cost of living remains biggest driver of problem debt, says StepChange Debt Charity - 1 June 2023

May

StepChange responds to FCA’s proposals to make permanent requirements on lenders to support borrowers in financial difficulty - 25 May 2023

StepChange responds to new inflation data - 24 May 2023

Private renters twice as likely to be in problem debt as general population - 23 May 2023

Some progress, but financially vulnerable tenants overlooked by Renters’ Reform Bill, says StepChange - 17 May 2023

StepChange responds to new FCA figures on struggling borrowers - 17 May 2023

Further interest rate rise ramps up pressure on mortgage holders and renters, says StepChange - 11 May 2023

New StepChange data: Demand for debt advice continues to rise - 4 May 2023

April

StepChange appoints Alex Pitcher as new Chief Risk Officer - 24 April 2023

Progress, but cost of living crisis ‘far from over’, says StepChange - 19 April 2023

Debt and arrears levels rocket among StepChange Scotland clients in 2022 - 19 April 2023

StepChange supports half a million people in 2022 - 18 April 2023

March

StepChange client debt levels up by 25% in 2022 - 29 March 2023

StepChange responds to rate rise - 23 March 2023

Debt Awareness Week: Five things you should know about debt advice - 22 March 2023

StepChange appoints Vikki Brownridge as new Chief Executive - 21 March 2023

One in six people has £20 or less to live on after paying for essentials each month - 20 March 2023

One in seven Scottish adults has £20 or less to live on after paying for essentials each month - 20 March 2023

StepChange responds to Budget - 15 March 2023

StepChange sees “startling” rise in demand for debt advice - 1 March 2023

February

StepChange comments on new IVA outcomes and providers statistics - 28 February 2023

Two in five people rationing essentials to keep up with credit repayments - 16 February 2023

Half of Scottish adults are struggling to keep up with essential bills - 16 February 2023

StepChange responds to launch of new Buy Now, Pay Later regulation proposals - 14 February 2023

StepChange backs FCA’s proposed Debt Packager referral fee ban - 2 February 2023

StepChange reacts to rate rise - 2 February 2023

January

Cost of living leaving more new clients struggling with essential bills - 31 January 2023

Almost a quarter of StepChange Scotland clients report the cost of living as the driver of their debt problems - 26 January 2023

StepChange Debt Charity marks 30 years of providing free debt advice - 25 January 2023

Cost of living pressures continue to weigh heavily on new StepChange clients - 4 January 2023

December 2022

StepChange CEO announces decision to leave in 2023 - 19 December 2022

StepChange reacts to rate rise - 15 December 2022

Government must step up to secure important bailiff reforms - 13 December 2022

Proportion of those who say they can afford Christmas has nearly halved since last year - 7 December 2022

Charlotte Chambers, currently Senior Director - Ecommerce Technology at supermarket chain Asda, is to join StepChange Debt Charity as Chief Technology and Information Officer on 20 March 2023 after a thorough and competitive recruitment process - 1 December 2022

November 2022

Proportion of clients with energy arrears falls, but cost of living still driving new clients to StepChange - 29 November 2022

StepChange reacts to Autumn Statement - 17 November 2022

StepChange responds to FCA’s report outlining treatment of borrowers in financial difficulty following pandemic - 3 November 2022

StepChange comments on rate rise - 3 November 2022

October 2022

Cost of living remains most commonly cited cause of debt among StepChange clients in September - 31 October 2022

Cost of living now number one cause of debt for StepChange Scotland clients - 20 October 2022

Gambling needs more holistic management to reduce harm when it causes debt, new research suggests - 18 October 2022

StepChange welcomes Google crackdown on advertisers, but root cause IVA problems remain - 10 October 2022

One in two people struggling to keep up with essential bills – triple the pre-pandemic number - 6 October 2022

September 2022

Cost of living remains most common reason for debt among new StepChange clients - 30 September 2022

Effective creditor communication key to helping consumers in financial difficulty, says StepChange - 29 September 2022

StepChange reacts to mini-budget - 23 September 2022

StepChange reaction to rate rise - 22 September 2022

StepChange reaction to energy support package - 8 September 2022

August 2022

Cost of living pressures continue to drive new clients to StepChange - 30 August 2022

StepChange reacts to new energy price cap - 26 August 2022

StepChange responds to new inflation data - 17 August 2022

StepChange says rate rise adds to cost of living woes for people experiencing debt - 4 August 2022

July 2022

For the first time, rising cost of living cited as most common reason for debt in June - 29 July 2022

StepChange says FCA consumer duty will create valuable cultural shift - 27 July 2022

StepChange reports positive client outcomes during first year of Breathing Space - 21 July 2022

Over a third of parents worried their finances will suffer during summer holidays - 19 July 2022

Half a million people supported by StepChange in 2021 - 13 July 2022

StepChange responds to new FCA and MoneyHelper research - 6 July 2022

StepChange wins Debt Advice Provider of the Year at the Credit Strategy Awards - 1 July 2022

June 2022

StepChange calls for pause on Universal Credit deductions for Government debt during Cost of Living crisis - 30 June 2022

StepChange welcomes Committee of Advertising Practice enforcement on misleading IVA and PTD ads - 23 June 2022

StepChange comments on inflation data - 22 June 2022

StepChange comments on rate rise and FCA cost of living reminder to firms - 16 June 2022

May 2022

Cost of living pressures continue to drive new clients to StepChange - 31 May 2022

StepChange reaction to Chancellor’s cost of living support package - 26 May 2022

StepChange Financial Solutions wins Best Equity Release Broker at Mortgage Strategy Awards - 26 May 2022

StepChange comments on inflation: “a driver of debt” - 18 May 2022

StepChange Scotland reports client average arrears on essential bills increased by 29% in one year - 12 May 2021

Further base rate rise ramps up pressure on low income households, says StepChange - 5 May 2022

Cost of living pressure rising as a cause of debt, as borrowing increases in March - 4 May 2022

April 2022

StepChange responds to new FCA strategy - 7 April 2022

Client statistics: Times were already hard for many before the latest cost of living crisis - 7 April 2022

March 2022

More clients cite cost of living as reason for debt, says StepChange - 29 March 2022

StepChange reacts to Spring Statement - 23 March 2022

StepChange reveals 2022-25 strategy against background of changes in debt advice - 22 March

One in five people expects to be driven into problem debt this year - 21 March

How the pandemic affected outcomes from debt advice - 3 March

Cost of living now in top 5 reasons for debt, reports StepChange Debt Charity - 1 March

February 2022

StepChange responds on FCA BNPL interventions - 14 February

StepChange and OVO Energy announce £2 million package of additional support - 7 February

Price cap rise to push more StepChange clients into negative budgets – even after support - 3 February

January 2022

One in three people struggling to keep up with bills and credit commitments – double the pre-pandemic number - 20 January

Consumers using BNPL are much more likely to be struggling, finds StepChange - 6 January

New November data already shows worrying trends reflecting cost of living - even before Christmas pressures - 4 January