Mum felt like she was drowning in debt

Jade Stanley stopped opening her mail and started turning her phone off to avoid the bills

A mother-of-three from Devon has spoken about how she went from feeling like she was drowning to swimming when a charity helped her to get out of debt.

Jade Stanley, from Barnstaple, said she felt "such a weight" over being in £11,000 of debt.

The 23-year-old described how she stopped opening her post and turning off her phone to avoid the bills.

She was said she was offered a lifeline when Christians Against Poverty helped her to put in a debt relief order.

'Swallowed whole'

When her relationship at the time broke down, she said she felt like things began to "spiral".

Ms Stanley said she struggled to understand which of her bills should be paid as a priority.

"At that age, I didn't really realise which bills were really important to pay off and which ones weren't," she said.

"I would prioritise a Sky [TV service] bill over my council tax, because, for me, I saw the benefits of paying my Sky bill; I didn't really see the benefits of paying my council tax, and I left that to just completely swallow me whole."

Ms Stanley said she tried to pay off some of her debt, but struggled to get on top of it.

'A weight lifted'

Debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty helped her to get a debt relief order in place through an official receiver, a court officer.

Ms Stanley said: "It was a huge relief. You go from almost drowning to actually being quite comfy and swimming. Like I say, my kids have definitely not gone without, even when I was in debt.

"Before it was a case of, you know: 'My son needs new wellies, but I've got this bill to go out'. Now it's just: 'My son needs some wellies.' I'll go buy him some wellies.

"I feel like I can enjoy my day, I haven't got to worry."

She added: "I didn't realise how many people were in the same situation as me. It's so worth getting the help, it's such a weight that's been lifted, especially as I'm so young, because this debt would have just followed me."

Ben Warrender, from Christians Against Poverty, said "a range of of debt solutions" were available "to try and help people get debt-free" and staff could also "signpost them to other organisations that can help people".

The government said it was putting more than £37bn into helping ease cost of living pressures this year.

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