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We are recruiting new trustees

Find out how you can make a difference to people's lives by joining our Board of Trustees.

Download our recruitment pack (PDF)

Introduction from the Chair

"StepChange is the UK’s leading debt advice charity, helping thousands of people each year manage their debts, many of whom are at crisis point. We recognise problem debt has a profound impact on society. It causes damage to families, health, employment prospects, and the cost to society is over £8.3 billion each year."

Lesley Titcomb, Chair of the Trustees

At StepChange, as well as helping those in debt get back on their feet, we exert significant influence through our policy and campaigning work to help prevent problem debt and overcome the difficulties it creates in our society.

The cost-of-living crisis has pushed more households from across society into financial difficulty, meaning a wider population now seeks our services and support. Our brilliant partners and stakeholders continue to support us with this vital work, and we are constantly adapting and evolving our services.

It is a particularly exciting time to join us as a trustee; in the Spring we’ll be launching our new strategy that will continue to move us towards our vision of creating a society free from problem debt. Central to our strategy is our ambitious transformation agenda, which will increase our agility in a rapidly changing environment. This will help us to diversify our funding, advocate for meaningful change and ensure the people we serve remain at the core of everything we aim to achieve.

As a trustee, you are in a position to make a real difference to our important and fulfilling cause, and will join our dynamic, proficient and inclusive board, working closely with our committed colleagues. I hope you will consider applying and I look forward to the possibility of welcoming you to our team and working together to make a real difference to society.

Thank you for your interest in StepChange.

Lesley Titcomb
Chair of the Board of Trustees

About StepChange: What we do and how we do it

"Our client’s needs are at the heart of everything we do. We’re working hard to make sure we continue improving our service to clients and partners, as well as lobbying for public policy changes needed to reduce the harm of problem debt."

Vikki Brownridge, Chief Executive

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StepChange is here to help people in the United Kingdom who are struggling with debt, and right now, there is a big need for this help. According to the Financial Conduct Authority, around 7.4 million people are finding it hard to pay their bills and debts.

StepChange has been around for 32 years and is still the largest provider of debt advice in the country. Last year, more than 600,000 people came to us for help with money problems. This included things like creating a budget, getting help with benefits, and guiding over 180,000 people through our online and phone debt advice service.

As the country deals with the effects of a cost-of-living crisis, what we do has never been more important. How do we help? We offer free, flexible debt advice that is based on a full understanding of the person’s situation. Then, we give practical support for as long as it’s needed to those who want to follow our recommendations.

We look at everything in a person’s budget: how much money they make, what they spend, and who they owe money to. Then, we help them find the right solution for their debt. This could be something like a Debt Management Plan, which helps people pay back their debts, or other options like insolvency, home equity release, or bankruptcy. No matter what the solution is, we offer the widest range of options in the sector.

StepChange colleagues

Our purpose

To provide holistic support for all people experiencing problem debt.

As the UK’s leading debt charity, we are contacted by hundreds of thousands of people a year online and by phone, across all nations and regions.

We work in partnership with a broad network of organisations – from mental health charities to income support services to achieve that purpose. For those we can’t help directly we offer triage and information to ensure they receive the support they need.

Our mission

To break debt’s stigma and change lives for the better.

Debt often gets treated like a dirty word. And we want to clear up the stigma. Our aim is to shine a light on what debt really looks like and bring some clarity to the murkiness.

We’ve been around for over 30 years, through the ups and downs, financial crashes and a worldwide pandemic, and will continue to be, because debt happens. So, let’s deal with it.

Our vision

Our vision is to create a society free from problem debt.

Problem debt is not just an issue for individuals but goes much further - it damages families and communities. By helping those in debt get back on their feet, and by campaigning for policies that aim to prevent problem debt, we’ll help overcome the difficulties that debt creates for our society in the 21st century.

Our impact

Here are some highlights from 2023 and you can download our full Impact Report here.

183,403 clients
completed full debt advice

£351 million
of debt repaid by clients

42,503 new clients
started managed debt solutions

17,456 clients
free from problem debt

Would you like to apply to be a Trustee?

Find out more about the role and responsibilities and how to apply.

FAQs

Are there any reasons why I can’t become a charity trustee?

The Charity Commission sets out why someone might be disqualified from serving as a trustee of a charity.

Are trustees paid for their time?

Charity trustees are usually volunteers and therefore are not normally paid for their time. However, the charity will pay for reasonable and agreed expenses in line with our policy; this includes travel, subsistence and reasonable costs of childcare or care for other dependents, to help you carry out your role effectively.

Can I serve as a trustee for multiple charities?

Yes, it is possible to serve as a trustee for more than one charity, but it is important to manage any potential conflicts of interest and ensure you can commit the time to each organisation.

Can I withdraw from the trustee role at any time?

Yes, trustees can resign from their role at any time by notifying the Board of Trustees. However, we encourage trustees to give sufficient notice to support a smooth transition and succession planning.