A WOKING debt advice service is expecting an influx of queries after the looming energy price rises and the end of a respite during the pandemic lockdowns.

Lance Spencer, who runs the Christians Against Poverty centre at the Welcome Church in Goldsworth Road, said that the higher energy bills will be disastrous for people already in debt.

“A number of the clients I deal with don’t go out of their homes so they have quite high energy bills and because of that, the impact is effectively compounded,” Lance said.

The number of people asking for help fell during the pandemic partly because there was a brief respite, which is coming to an end.

“The government stopped the bailiffs going in to evict people so that took pressure off those in debt and most of the utilities stopped chasing the debt quite so vociferously. It’s not the fact that people stopped being in debt, it was that the immediate pressure on them had gone.

“There will now be a combination of the utilities becoming tougher on people in debt and the increasing cost. All of that will come through and undoubtedly increase the number of people seeking help,” he said.

Another factor is that many people can take up to three years before asking for help with their debt problem, meaning that Lance and the other CAP volunteers have to untangle a complex situation before they can start finding solutions. 

“If someone has been in debt for three years, the amount of paperwork makes the problem very complex. The earlier they come to us the better.”

Sarah Goddard, CAP debt centre manager at Christ Church in Woking town centre, said: “We had to change the way we did things during lockdown because of social distancing, but were still here helping people with their debts.

“Some of the people tell us really heartbreaking stories of what life was like for them before they got in touch with CAP.”

One client said: “During lockdown my relationship with my partner broke down and I had to find somewhere to live on my own.

“I struggled to get bill payments set up and very quickly found that I was in arrears and living off my credit cards just to make ends meet.

“The stress of having to deal with this on my own has been huge.

“Thankfully, a friend told me about CAP and I asked for help. That was when Sarah and her team got in touch and now I’ve got a plan to get out of debt.”

Welcome Church runs a range of services all based around a cafe which is open on Mondays from 10am to 2pm.

CAP is currently running two eight-week courses. The Fresh Start course is tackling problem habits and addictions while the Job Club includes elements such as CV writing and interview training. Although the courses have already started, CAP is welcoming enquiries from people who want to join.

FOR more information call CAP free of charge on 0800 328 0006, visit capuk.org or call 07968 697156