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Debt Awareness Week is an annual campaign that aims to encourage people to speak up and seek advice quickly to ensure their debt problems don’t spiral out of control.

When is Debt Awareness Week?

 In 2021, Debt Awareness Week takes place between 22-28 March.

What’s the aim of Debt Awareness Week?

Debt Awareness Week is designed to encourage individuals and organisations to speak up about debt and act on it. Debt is often seen as a taboo subject – although we are getting better about talking about it – and many don’t seek help through fear of embarrassment or the unknown. By not getting support, financial problems get worse and this has longer lasting damage on individuals’ livelihoods.

What are we doing during Debt Awareness Week?

We’ll be sharing stories and advice across our social media channels to highlight the importance of getting help. You can find out more by visiting our Facebook and Twitter accounts.

Why should you get debt advice?

Our resident debt advice expert, Jane Clack, offers her advice for anybody considering taking the next step and getting debt advice:

“If you are in debt then the first thing you need to know is that help is available. Far too many people are sitting on their debts and making the problem worse, so my advice is to be brave and seek free advice as soon as possible – one chat could turn your life around.

“I understand that people may be worried about asking for help, but this is the best way to finding out how you can pay off your debts as quickly as possible. People regularly tell me the sense of relief they feel after getting help and this is because they are given a way out from their problems.

“You shouldn’t pay for debt advice, so make sure you approach an advice company that is reputable and that can communicate with you in a way that makes you feel safe.”

How can getting debt advice help?

27-year-old Rebecca Coleman is currently in a managed plan with PayPlan. Commenting on her experience of seeking advice, Rebecca said:

“Being in debt is extremely worrying. I put off getting debt advice for a long time, which resulted in my situation getting much worse before reaching out. During my lowest moments of struggling with debt, I felt like I had no way out. Yet, after just an hour of speaking on the phone to a PayPlan adviser I felt so much relief. The adviser was so professional and friendly, and put me at ease instantly.

“I can now see a bright future again. In fact, I have a five-year plan with my partner to become debt free and raise my credit rating so that we can save up and buy our first home together. Which is something I never would have thought was possible only a few months ago.”