Stories

Wed, 20 May 2026

Wed, 20 May 2026 Woman's debts reach £26k as she battles poverty

Gaynor Lake tells how she struggled to pay for heating, rent and council tax and saw her debts grow.

* Gaynor Lake accumulated £26,000 in debt over a decade due to rising bills and rent.
* She was supported by Christians Against Poverty (CAP) charity, which found that people often hide their debt struggles for too long before seeking help.
* CAP reported that nearly one-in-four people wait two years or more to seek help for debt, with debts averaging £14,000 in the South East by the time they do.
* The charity noted an increase in complicated cases involving mental health problems linked to debt.
* A government spokesperson claimed efforts to tackle poverty are making a difference, citing rising household incomes and falling food bank usage.
* Gaynor now advocates for seeking help from charities like CAP to get back on track.