Citizens Advice SORT Group responds to the Budget 2024

 

Responding to the Chancellor's Budget on March 6th 2024, Jonathan Yates, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice SORT Group, said: 


“At Citizens Advice SORT Group, we welcome the decision to abolish Debt Relief Order (DRO) fees. For too long these unnecessary and often unaffordable fees have been an unfair hurdle for those in the most dire of situations to cross.

All our local data is telling us that 2024 will be just as tough, if not worse, for households across Greater Manchester and with cost of living payments soon ending, we’re concerned how people will cope over the coming months.

While it’s also good news the government has decided to extend the Household Support Fund by six months, this is only a temporary solution. We need to see commitment that this vital fund won’t abruptly dry-up when we reach the end of the six-month period.

Long term we need government to improve living standards and lift people out of negative budgets so that they’re not being left short on essentials every month.”


-Ends

Additional information 

  • Citizens Advice services across England and Wales supported 16,997 people between 01/01/2021 and 31/12/2021 and 78,083 people between 01/01/2023 and 31/12/2023 with localised social welfare issues - an increase of 359%.

  • Frontline staff have helped more than 46,600 people with the Household Support Fund since April 2023 (the current funding cycle). Of those helped 43% also needed access to charitable support and 36% to food banks.

  • A debt relief order (DRO) is an alternative to bankruptcy for people with low incomes, little or no assets, and low debts. There are strict qualifying criteria and they’re only available to people with less than £75 spare income left per month. The cost to enter a DRO is £90.

Hayley Wright