Life Centre Stourbridge.

A Voice of Hope in our Community

5 years in: May 2019

A Nation drowning in Debt

Britain’s household debt continues to grow, and UK homes now owe an average of £15,385 (Jan 2019) to credit card firms, banks and other lenders.

Many in the UK find their daily lives filled with uncertainty, and not just around matters relating to Brexit!

• How much will I get paid this month? (think: zero hours contracts)

• When will my Universal Credit payment come through?

• Will my application for Housing Benefit be

approved? • Will my Eviction Order be suspended?

Where will we live if it’s not? • Can I afford to put the heating on today? • Shall I miss out on food today so that the

kids get a meal? • Does anyone care?

Across the UK, one in six people (that’s over 8 million adults) struggle to cope

with the money they owe, meaning they have what’s called problem debt.

Being over-indebted means people find

keeping up with their bills and credit commitments a ‘heavy burden’, or have missed payments for such

commitments in three or more of the last six months.

Being in debt hurts; physically and emotionally, and not just the indebted person. It affects many lives. It breaks marriages, separates families. It contributes to ill-health, and can lead to homelessness, reduced self-control, addictive actions, violence and death.

No one is immune.

The West Midlands

• One in six adults, that’s over 750,000 people are over-

indebted (Sept 2017) • Homelessness has more than tripled in the 7 years to

2017 (over 15,000 in Birmingham alone), • Average debt (June 2016) in the 18-25 age group is over

£7000 (Excluding student loans).

• In Dudley alone, over 80 families per year (2010 to 17) have been evicted from their local authority homes (for non-

payment of rent).

These figures are expected to have deteriorated further following

the roll-out of Universal Credit, launched in 2017 in Dudley, Halesowen, and Stourbridge.

So what can be done?

Life Centre Debt Advice: A Voice of Hope in the West Midlands

Getting free debt advice can make a huge difference to getting out of debt. A recent study found that 65% of

people who received regulated debt advice were repaying their debts or had repaid them in full within three to six months.

Life Centre Debt Advice (LCDA) was launched in May 2014, is based in the midst of the community in

Stourbridge High Street, and is licensed to offer free, confidential, regulated advice from its team of competent and professionally trained advisors.

As a registered charity, brought into existence at the behest of Churches Together in Stourbridge, LCDA

have been able to offer money management, debt advice, guidance and support to over 180 households

since opening, having a combined indebtedness of more than £1.5 million.

The current team of 18 volunteers, drawn from the

local Christian community, and guided by a full-time Centre Manager, work together to provide help and

support to clients over an extended time frame, reflecting the ethos of the organisation to build mutual

relationships of trust and understanding, that seek not simply to offer relief from debt or

money worries, but to restore lives.

LCDA seek to offer clients hope, whatever their background, faith, or circumstances,

without judgement, and to encourage responsible ownership and action to overcome.

So what has been achieved?

LCDA are making a difference

• Given guidance and advice to 186 households, sharing £1.6 million of indebtedness. • Provided face-to-face support in 450 client appointments in the last two years. • Enabled families to keep their homes, and stay together.

• Made over 15,000 phone calls to clients and their Creditors to liaise on behalf of each. • Set up over 1000 payment plans in support of client debt relief.

• Liaised with Bailiffs and court officials in our client-advocate role. • Released clients of their anxieties and money worries. • Brought about improvements in client domestic life, be that inter-relational (family),

emotional (self confidence), and material (domestic goods). • Demonstrated “Love in Action” in our community.

What do clients say?

• “I don’t panic now when the phone rings.” • “A huge weight has been lifted off my shoulders.”

• “I don’t know what we’d do without your help.” • “It’s changed my life. The scales fell from my eyes and I

can now see a way forward.” • “I kept my house thanks to you.” • “I love you!”

• “I have received such excellent support and help from LCDA.”

What do our partners say?

It is essential that LCDA work collaboratively within our community, engaging with churches and

other existing support networks, and organisations to address the, often complex, breadth of client needs.

Debt is so often the “tip of the iceberg” – the symptom of other underlying circumstances, and

LCDA recognise the importance of helping the client restore these facets of their lives too.

We have become well-known in the community for our professionalism, our caring approach and

understanding of clients’ needs.

• You are highly regarded, and well recommended (BHP Nov 2018)

• The Centre is being well run. (2019 CMA audit) • I’d like to thank the team for giving me a warm

welcome to The Life Centre yesterday. It was really

interesting to learn about the work that you do. (Dudley Services)

• Good networking, keep it up!

• I was very impressed by the welcoming atmosphere and the very supportive volunteers.

• Now I know you’re here I will be able to signpost people to you.

• Very impressed by the set up you have, the work

you are doing, the desire to support people and to serve.

What do our Volunteers say?

LCDA rely absolutely on the serving hearts of its

volunteers, and there would be no service provision without the selfless and often sacrificial time

commitments of the volunteer team. Speaking personally, I have enjoyed no greater

purposeful working experience than that of LCDA Centre Manager, and invite anyone contemplating

how they might themselves “make a difference” to someone’s life, to get in touch and discuss our work.

Let the volunteers speak for themselves:

• It’s great to have the opportunity to serve.

• It’s great to be part of a TEAM, reassuring to know that help, and opportunities to reflect and review with colleagues are always available.

• I am among friends, and enjoy the fellowship that comes with my involvement.

• Team meetings, training sessions are well structured and encouraging. • We have learned much about a world that many in our churches do not see very often.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Get connected. Get in Touch

Can we help you, or someone you know? Would you appreciate sharing your situation in confidence, for free, on the telephone, or in a relaxed setting, over a welcoming tea or coffee?

Perhaps you’re interested in helping, or joining the team of volunteers?

LCDA depend on local people, on trusts and our local church families to provide for our funding.

If you feel you are able to support us, through prayer, volunteering support, or by financial gifting then please do get in touch. Your support will change lives, perhaps even your own.

Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for whoever loves others has

fulfilled the law. Romans 13:8 New International Version (NIV)

For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to

your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.' Deuteronomy 15:11

Join us in prayer and in giving thanks. We invite you and

your church family to pray;

• For our community, our neighbours, that we are motivated by His commandment to love each as we love ourselves.

• For the money management and debt advice support we at LCDA feel called to provide in our local community.

Contact us: 01384 442375 The Upper Room, 105 High Street, Stourbridge. DY8 1EE

E-mail: info@lifecentredebtadvice.org.uk Website: www.lifecentredebtadvice.org.uk

Life Centre Debt Advice (LCDA) is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, Ref No. 618789, and is Centre 279 of the

Community Money Advice network. LCDA is a registered Charity No. 1156191 and is registered with the ICO under the Data Protection Act.