In Nottingham over 60,000* people are facing a debt trap, and in the UK one in four people are having problems with debt.

Right now, the UK is experiencing the highest ever levels of personal debt on record, a staggering £217 billion. If you're facing problem debt, you're not alone. More and more people are relying on credit cards and loans to buy food and everyday essentials.

In fact, there’s a whole industry that preys on people who have no option but to borrow, charging them enormous interest rates.

When people get caught in a spiral of debt, it can seem impossible to get out.

Form the 23rd November to the 1st December, thousands of people will be taking action across the country as part of Debt Week 2019.

Join us at this one off event to hear more about how debt is affecting people in Nottingham and the rest of the UK, and how we can come together in our communities to campaign to end the debt trap.

Speakers:

Dr Shaun French Associate Professor in Economic Geography at the University of Nottingham and Chairperson of the Nottingham Financial Resilience Partnership (NFRP). The Partnership was established to tackle the over-indebtedness crisis in Nottingham. Shaun’s research interests are on the implications for social justice of growing indebtedness and financial exclusion.

Debbie Webster Project Manager of St Anns Advice Centre in Nottingham and core group member of the Nottingham Financial Resilience Partnership. Debbie has worked in the field of welfare and debt advice for over a decade and will share her experiences of the nature and impact of over-indebtedness in Nottingham.

Sarah-Jayne Clifton Director of the Jubilee Debt Campaign. The Jubilee Debt Campaign researches local and global debt issues, educates people about their causes and solutions and campaigns for debt justice in solidarity with indebted people and countries.

Ronnie Draper General Secretary, Bakers Food & Allied Workers Union, the largest independent Trade Union in the food sector in the British Isles.

The evening will kick of with a panel, followed by a group discussion and interactive activities.

If you are experiencing problems with debt, you can contact these agencies for advice:

Citizen's Advice www.citizensadvice.org.uk

StepChange www.stepchange.org

National Debtline www.nationaldebtline.org