Why I’m backing the campaign to create a better ‘breathing space’

By Amy Taylor, Debt Adviser and Chair of Greater Manchester Money Advice Group

One of the best things about being a Debt Adviser is that sometimes you just know you have the perfect solution for your client. It’s going to change their lives for the better and they are going to have that burden lifted. Their feeling of relief is only matched by your feeling of fulfilment at being able to help.

But it’s a rare feeling these days. Cases were getting more complex even before Covid, with more priority debts to deal with and many people with highly volatile incomes, and too often ‘negative budgets’.  We are now looking at a huge increase in unemployment. And we are waiting for the tidal wave to hit. We know it’s coming. And we’re not sure how we can deal with it.

How do you help someone with their debts when their real struggle is paying for food, gas and electricity? When they’ve had the letter from the bailiffs warning them that they’re coming soon and they’re going to take goods, like it or not? When thirty percent of their Universal Credit – a bare minimum basic allowance – has been deducted from source for who-knows-what? Could any of us even survive on one hundred percent?

And along comes ‘Breathing Space’. We’ve been asking for, and getting, a ‘breathing space’ of up to sixty days from most creditors for years. But this is a new type of ‘Breathing Space’. It’s official. It’s registered. It’s going to be the law.

And we as Debt Advisers are expected not only to administer it, but police it, review it and enforce it.

As if we don’t already have enough to do!

And this is a one-time deal every twelve months, so woe-betide anyone whose life isn’t back on track within sixty days, and for at least another ten months.

If you haven’t already done so, have a look at Breathing Space – have a close look at what will be expected of you. Try to imagine that this is somehow helpful for your client, and won’t pit you against them, just like a creditor.

We are debt advisers, not debt collectors and we are not looking for leads for our super-special Debt Management Plans. So please, sign the letter to the Economic Secretary and support this campaign.