Crosslight’s Summer 2023 Newsletter

Last week the Office for National Statistics published official data which made for gloomy reading - over a quarter of single parent families report running out of food and being unable to afford more. It’s a shocking statistic, but one we’re more than familiar with - almost half of all our clients struggle to afford food each month. Debt and money advice may to some sound like quite a dry or unimportant topic, but to our clients and the communities we support, it can be as fundamental as eating!

Our Summer Newsletter comes at a time when financial struggles are at the forefront of many people’s minds. Most of us have been impacted one way or another, but have you ever had to face the prospect of not having enough money to live? How would you cope?

Lee* sought our help after struggling financially amidst the heartbreaking loss of his father. Although he was working as a cleaner in a care home, he had been unable to keep up with his bills as the cost-of-living crisis took hold, and resorted to credit cards to plug the gap. This is, unfortunately, the stark reality for many of our clients.

Lee had been slipping into greater debt for many months, with council tax and rent arrears as well as his mounting credit card debt. As you can see from the graph, his basic bills (rent, council tax, utilities and water) took up 84% of his monthly income, leaving him with just £5.32 a day to live on. His choice was stark - eat and go in to debt, or go without!

Since 2020, the number of clients who have negative budgets (i.e. their income cannot even cover their essential outgoings) has risen by over 30%.

Another consequence of the cost-of-living crisis is that more clients than ever before are falling into rent arrears, with the amount they owe increasing by 61% since 2020.

When Ana* needed accommodation while pregnant with nowhere to live, her local council moved her three times with each location costing too much each month. ‘Alongside my rent, I was also struggling to pay my utility bills as they kept going up. My monthly income wasn’t enough to cover all of my bills... I was on my own. The longer I couldn’t cover all my monthly bills, the bigger the debt became. The council told me there was nothing they could do.’

The energy crisis has been another blow to those who are already on the edge. Shivani*, a single mum, shared, ‘My income was struggling to cover both gas and electricity as they began to increase in price, alongside my rent. I have a lot going on in my life with my son and my own health, so keeping the gas and electricity on is so important.’

Alessandro* was struggling with multiple debts, and was at his wits end when reaching out for help, ‘When you go into your first appointment [with Crosslight], you are really up against it and at the end of your tether with it all, so it’s amazing to then find out that there is something you can do to help the situation. I am able to answer the phone now after not being able to for about 3 years, and can actually sleep at night.’

*All names in this newsletter have been changed.

We never see the people we help as just a case number - our clients are not entries on a spreadsheet. They are people, just like us, who have fallen into difficulty when faced with circumstances that any of us would struggle to manage. We take time to build relationships with our clients to better serve and support them and for many, our holistic support is the only way forward for those facing complex, difficult and heartbreaking situations.

‘I was always so worried about people judging me, but my debt adviser never ever judged me.’ Natasha*, a single mother unable to pay her rent and bills with her benefit allowance, told us, ‘I knew that she really did care about me and where I was and how I was feeling during the whole process. Once I spoke with my debt adviser, things started to make sense.’

What would you do if you found yourself in one of these situations? Facing each month, knowing that you are slipping further into debt and feeling as though there is nothing you can do about it. In 2023, people should not be struggling to pay for their basic essentials and falling into greater debt because of it. Crosslight Advice are now working with double the number of clients compared to before the pandemic. We need YOUR help to continue supporting those facing impossible choices and difficult situations.

For all the time I was struggling in debt, I couldn’t seem to make my life work. Debt was an anchor that held me down under the water, I was drowning. It’s all very physical. When you clear that anchor, you can swim to the surface and breathe again. This means that other things can happen, life can happen. I wish that I could tell the world about Crosslight because they are amazing.

Donate Now

Move4Change

Our London branches have joined forces to bring you the biggest and best ever Move4Change event this September. We are so excited to share that you can now sign up to Move4Change and help us bring hope to those in need in London.

Taking place on Saturday 16th September at our Hammersmith branch at the St. Paul’s centre, Move4Change is a family friendly event for all to enjoy.

You can take on either a 10km walk or 40km bike ride, all in aid of those in London struggling with debt. Once you complete the walk or cycle, we will celebrate together with a gorgeous cream tea, musical entertainment and the chance to win some great prizes.