January is hard. The celebrations are over, the bills have arrived, and for many of us, savings have quietly disappeared. As we wait, often painfully, for the next pay cheque, January becomes the month of fresh starts, New Year’s resolutions, and, if we’re honest, a few broken promises. I’m Ripon Ray, your host, and in this episode of the Debt Talk Podcast, we focus on January Financial Planning and how money is closely linked to the promises we make to ourselves at the start of the year. To help us navigate the challenges of January 2026, I’m joined by three expert guests: Shakira Taylor, a fitness instructor working on the frontline, shares insights on staying active and motivated beyond January. She reminds us that fitness isn’t just about quick wins; sustainable, gradual progress is what leads to lasting health and real rewards. Joe Marley from Alcohol Change talks about Dry January, alcohol habits, and wellbeing. He shares practical tools, including the Alcohol Change app, a...

Debt Talk CIC publishes its first report Breaking Point to Breaking Through reveals a hidden debt crisis affecting Bangladeshi Londoners, based on community consultations with over 45 residents, frontline workers and statutory organisations in Tower Hamlets. Despite 63% of Bangladeshi Londoners living in poverty, there is no dedicated, culturally responsive debt advice service for this community. The report shows how shame and honour (izzat), faith-based barriers to interest, informal lending, remittance pressures and intergenerational trauma combine to push families into crisis before they seek help. Participants were clear: mainstream debt services are not working. Generic advice, interest-based solutions, digital-only access and short-term funding models exclude Bangladeshi lived realities. The report outlines community-designed solutions, including Bengali-speaking advisors, trauma-informed and faith-aware support, Shariah-compliant credit pathways, holistic debt and wellbeing sup...

There are 17.5 million people in financially vulnerable circumstances, one in three adults in the UK. Some of these vulnerabilities can be seen in the form of financial exclusion. In this episode, Ripon Ray discusses: ‘ The cost of financial exclusion’ . To navigate the Debt Talk podcast topic, panellists were from a financial inclusion funder, a debt crisis and money training social enterprise, and a household debt campaigner. Diane Burridge , Community Finance Propositions and Segmentation Lead for Fair4AllFinance, develops strategies for financial inclusion projects and provides funds. She focused on supporting innovation to reduce financial exclusion by undertaking research and working with various third organisations to promote ways to make the financial services sector fair. Jerry During MBE , Co-Founder of Money A and E, a community money and debt advice organisation in London, emphasised the need to form partnerships with community groups and government agencies to help change ...

lllegal lending and loan sharks are not widely talked about in our local communities. Most of our attention has been given to payday loan and mainstream lenders who prey on vulnerable debtors due to their high interest and charges.  My experience as a debt advisor has taught me that a substantial proportion of those from deprived communities who seek debt advice are unaware of the differences between illegal lending, payday loans and pawnbroking.   The distinction between an illegal lender and a legal one rests on the failure of the illegal lender to seek approval to operate as a commercial lender, from the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), as the regulator of financial services in the UK. According to provisions of the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000, any UK financial activities have to be regulated by the FCA unless legally exempted from such regulation.  In the following report published by the regulator: Shining a light on illegal money...