We are a CAP Debt Centre covering Burnley, Nelson and Colne. 

Our Debt Centre operates with a small yet dedicated team consisting of a Debt Centre Manager and two Debt Coaches.  We rely on the dedication and compassion of volunteer befrienders who play a crucial role in supporting our clients during home visits. These volunteers  provide emotional support, companionship, and practical assistance to individuals facing financial hardship.

Our Debts Centre partners with CAP Head Office in Bradford to run Debt help in our local area. We are trained, authorised and supported by Head Office but we are an independent project entirely responsible for our own funding.

The purpose of the funding is to support the ongoing operations and expansion of CAP Debt Centre's services in the Burnley, Nelson, and Colne area. Specifically, the funding will enable us to continue offering home visits, running local drop-ins, and facilitating courses such as Money Coaching and Life Skills.

What we do

At CAP we understand that navigating the complexities of debt can be overwhelming. Most debt charities no longer offer face to face support and many vulnerable people find on line or phone advice difficult to understand or follow. We continue to see clients in their own home and guide them through the debt process towards financial freedom and stability. This begins with three or more home visits, where we introduce clients to our services, assist them in gathering necessary paperwork, and initiate the journey towards debt relief.

1. Initial Home Visits:

Introduce ourselves and what support we can offer. We provide guidance on the paperwork required, helping clients gather essential documents such as bank statements, bills, and creditor correspondence.

2. Submission to Head Office:

Once the necessary paperwork is collected and we have gathered all the personal information we need, it is then securely sent to our head office in Bradford, where our experienced debt advisors formulate a budget for the client to live on and a customised route out of debt for each client.

3. Understanding the Plan:

Upon receiving the route out of debt, we schedule follow-up home visits with clients to explain the proposed plan and ensure they fully understand their options, addressing any questions or concerns they may have along the way.

We work with over a hundred families a year through the debt centre. 26 families went debt free last year.

Courses

In addition to providing debt advice and financial support, CAP Debt Centre recognises the importance of equipping individuals with essential life skills to enhance their overall well-being and resilience. Our Life Skills Course runs over 8 weeks and encompasses a range of sessions and courses aimed at empowering clients in areas such as budgeting, cooking, and building healthy relationships. Money Coaching focuses on teaching the skills needed to build a budget. We work with approximately 150 people a year through our courses.

Drop in services

We offer five accessible drop-in sessions a month designed to provide individuals with vital benefits advice, budgeting assistance, and seamless referral into our comprehensive debt support services. These drop-in sessions serve as a valuable resource for members of the community seeking guidance and support in managing their finances effectively. They are based at local Job Centres, Community Groceries and Food Banks. We see on average 50 people each month.

Building Professional Partnerships

We recognise the importance of collaboration with other professionals and organizations to ensure individuals feel confident and supported when accessing our services. We go on visit to see potential clients with them. We aim to build trust, alleviate concerns, and demonstrate the effectiveness of our debt support services.

Budget breakdown

• Personnel costs: £30,300
• Travel expenses for home visits: £4,700
• Course materials and facilitation expenses: £500
• Money to CAP Head Office £12,500
•  Total requested funding: £20, 000
• Previous funding or support received:
  • Burnley Council, Pendle Council, Duchy of Lancashire, CVS, donations from Churches and individuals.

Impact of the service

Since the centre opened in 2020 over 50 people have gone debt free, 26 last year alone. The centre has grown from one member of staff to three in the last 4 years.  We have over 60 clients we are currently dealing with and are regularly booked up 2 to 3 months in advance. Our Life Skills and Money Coaching empowers individuals to take charge of various aspects of their lives, from managing finances to improving their cooking skills and building healthier relationships. 

We have an number of clients who initially met us at a drop in, worked with us through the Debt Centre and became debt free, then joined our Life Skills or Money Coaching courses to remain debt free. We work with people of all faiths and none.

But it's what our clients say about us that really shows the impact. Each client is an individual with their own stories. This is what one client said last year when asked about the impact of working with CAP.

"Working with CAP gave me so much relief from my anxiety. The team absolutely did everything and more for me and my children and I am so thankful for all their help. Since CAP I have been able to manage my finances better and I am so much happier. CAP are amazing at what they do and I couldn't recommend them enough to anyone."