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StepChange colleagues

Our 2025 – 30 Strategy

Our new five-year strategy sets out how we will continue to adapt so that we are able to support everyone who needs our help.

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Stepping Ahead: Destigmatising debt. Powering financial resilience

For over 30 years, StepChange has delivered vital debt advice to millions of people all across the UK.

In that time the world around us has changed but we continue to provide vital support to some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

Vikki Brownridge

Introduction from the Chief Executive

"I'm thrilled to introduce our new strategy for 2025-30. We're already the UK's leading free online and telephone debt advice service, and our new strategy builds on this. Our strategic ambition is to be the UK's leading free and independent debt advice and solutions provider, digital-first, powered by experts. Empowering clients to improve financial resilience and achieve good long-term outcomes."

Vikki Brownridge

Our Theory of Change

Before developing our new strategy, we first created our theory of change. This is a clear, structured framework that defines what we are working towards and the actions we need to take that will contribute to lasting impacts.

In developing our theory of change we conducted a significant strategic review, consulting widely with colleagues, partners and stakeholders in both our organisation and our sector, as well as the sectors we work with. Our theory of change is a foundational approach that is intended to guide and inform both this strategy and future strategies – it sets out the essence of why we exist and what impact we make.

You can read more about our theory of change here

Our purpose

A society free from problem debt

Our mission

To break debt's stigma and change lives for the better

What StepChange will look like in 2030

Unwavering focus on good long-term outcomes

Digital first, data-led and powered by experts

Meaningful change through our research and influence

Financially sustainable not-for-profit organisation

Our six strategic pillars for 2025-30

Run the charity

Proactively shape the debt policy agenda, championing the consumer voice to influence public policy, increase consumer protection, reduce vulnerability to debt and deliver good long-term outcomes.

Reach more people who we are best placed to help, needing debt advice, support and solutions. Break down the stigma of debt, make our services more accessible and reduce the harm debt causes

Evolve our core offering, to meet the needs of debt advice seekers wanting trusted and expert debt advice, guidance and solutions. Empowering clients to achieve good long-term outcomes and partnering with organisations who are funded and best placed to support them.

Change the charity

Simplify and modernise our ways of working, harnessing digital tools, technologies, and processes to achieve our vision – increase our impact, improve efficiency and enrich our colleague experience.

Tackling financial stress before it turns into financial distress, through creating meaningful and measurable interventions to prevent financial issues escalating, overwhelming or re-emerging.

Empower and enable our colleagues to deliver organisational success through a period of transformative change, equipping them with the skills to support a digital first organisation.

Illustration portraying the breadth of our strategy

The long-term outcomes we seek

People who need tailored debt advice and wider support services can access them from the organisations best placed to support them.

No group is more likely to experience problem debt than another.

The stigma of debt and financial problems are reduced, and are no longer a barrier to seeking help.

We have a technologically advanced and data driven, competitive service delivering value for money and good outcomes to anyone referred into us.

The social costs of debt to individuals and society are reduced.

Rewarded, engaged and empowered colleagues who understand the part they play in the outcomes we seek to deliver.

Our client, Nikki

How we help clients like Nikki

"Someone told me about StepChange and after speaking to a debt advisor, I couldn't believe that I had waited so long to ask for help! I felt so ashamed of the mess my finances were in and couldn't seem to find a way out of the spiral I had found myself in.

"I'm a strong believer that if things happen, you have to own it and try your best to get on with it. My circumstances have changed so much as a result of getting help and I only wish I had gotten started sooner."

Read more stories like Nikki's

Download our 2025-30 strategy

Our new five-year strategy sets out how we will continue to adapt so that we are able to support everyone who needs our help.

Download the strategy