Debt Awareness Week 2024
This year's campaign runs from 18 to 24 March. Over the course of the week, we will be looking at some of the reasons people don't get debt advice, and how they can overcome those barriers.
Our research shows there are five common reasons people don't seek help for debt worries, even during the ongoing cost of living crisis. We will focus on one of those blockers each day from Monday to Friday. Sharing hints, tips and useful guides, as well as other people's experiences of getting advice.
Debt Awareness Week 2023
Last year’s campaign focused on how debt can happen to anyone. We continued to see new groups of people needing advice as the cost of living crisis hits people who previously may not have experienced financial difficulty.
Debt Awareness Week 2022
We touched on removing the stigma about debt in the previous year, and as we feel this is a key issue that stops people from reaching out for the help they need, this has become the central message for the 2022 campaign.
Our clients' real life stories are vital in encouraging people to open and talk about debt, even if it's the last thing they'd like to talk about.
Debt Awareness Week 2021
This year’s event came as we marked the anniversary of the first national lockdown, with the Coronavirus pandemic having had a devastating effect on the finances of many people across the country.
The theme was encouraging people to take #TheFirstStep towards getting debt help, by opening up the conversation around debt and removing the stigma that can surround financial problems.
Debt Awareness Week 2020
In March 2020, we were primed to launch our annual awareness-raising week, with a focus on helping people to change their debt stories. We were due to launch the campaign on the same day we went into the first national lockdown of the pandemic.
We shifted our focus to supporting those who were in need of immediate financial help and updating our advice in line with ever-changing rules and forbearance measures.
Debt Awareness Week 2019
In 2019 we got active about debt. Across social media we discussed common obstacles to getting debt advice and the danger signs to look out for. We also looked at practical ways to get help and shared our clients' stories.
Debt Awareness Week 2016
In 2016 we helped partner organisations run a variety of Debt Awareness Weeks throughout January. Over 400 partner organisations carried out a week of activity to promote free debt advice.
We also ran a DebtDay event on 18 January 2016 which opened the doors of the charity to see behind the scenes on one our busiest days of the year. We made hourly updates on the amount of debt reported to us, posted stories from the front line of debt advice, held debt advice clinics online and lots more.
Debt Awareness Week 2015
In 2015 we helped people take control of their finances by launching our innovative 7 Days, 7 Ways programme. We used Debt Awareness Week as a chance to spread the word about this new tool that helps people to deal with their finances over the course of a week.
We also asked our advisors to write letters to clients they'd advised, which produced some touching messages.
Debt Awareness Week 2014
In the first Debt Awareness Week, we wanted people to find out if they were showing any of the danger signs of debt. With the help of our 60-second debt test, people could quickly find out if they needed help with their finances.
