As debt advisers spoke about the challenges faced in the debt advice sector under the contract of Money Advice Services, Ripon Ray shared a new way to learn about the sector after the pandemic. Nearly 90 debt advisers attended today's Institute  of Money Advisers Group Meeting as Debt Talk was introduced to the agenda.  Debt advisers accepted a new 'norm' and that is: face to face only learning to meet their regulatory obligation is no longer an option. During such an  occasion,  Ripon Ray introduced Debt Talk podcasts to debt advisers: learn about the debt sector in your own time through podcasts. Debt Talk was designed to bring experiences of debt clients in the public domain since many of these clients bring a broad range of issues to debt advisers which include mental health, addiction, multiple debts and cost of living - to just name a few things. Along with Debt Talk, Ripon Ray spoke about a monthly Debt News which would bring snippets of debt related...

In this episode, Debt Talk explores one of the most important subjects during the cost of living crisis: ‘Eat, heat or pay your rent’. Already communities are stretched in the finances are skipping meals to pay their rent or fuel. The question really is: is it sustainable? Explore this topic with Ripon Ray, a debt expert who speaks with three experts who bring experience from local communities, research and debt advice. During the cost of living crisis, financial struggles have now become epidemic in the low income communities regardless of whether if are a worker, self-employed, pensioner and with disability. Barry Duckett, a struggling pensioner explained how he was barely surviving win state pension during the pandemic is now forced to make decisions to turn off his lights due to the fear of the cost of fuel. He is hearing universal credit claimants in his council estates tenants are choosing to feed themselves instead of paying rent and fuel bills. Joe Richardson, Research Manager ...