A COUPLE of churches that have been running money courses are set to open a centre for those in crisis debt.

Taunton Vineyard and Watchet Baptist Church have partnered with UK charity Christians Against Poverty to offer the in-depth help people need.

The move follows years of running the popular CAP Money Course that has been helping local people to draw up a household budget and stick to it.

Taunton & West Somerset centre manager Jon Carrington said: “The CAP Money Course is excellent for helping people to avoid debt, learn to save and pay off an overdraft but we have seen severe situations that required more help than we could give.

“The debt centre we’re now opening will mean that we will be able to see people in their own homes, explain the free service face-to-face and link up with all the professional debt counsellors at CAP who negotiate with creditors on the client’s behalf and can give all the options.

“It really is a tried-and-tested service which the church has funded and trained for so that it is accessible to the community alongside other great debt helps in the locality like Citizens Advice.”

The charity finds that debts can typically build up when a relationship breaks down, or someone loses their job, is ill or coping with bereavement – so often when people are least able to cope with a financial headache.

 

*Christians Against Poverty is a charity determined to reduce hardship in the UK, with the help of local churches.

It does this through 280 debt counselling centres; a money education programme The CAP Money Course and CAP Job Clubs for unemployed people.

All the services are given freely for everyone regardless of age, gender, faith or background.