Discreet debt-free hub launched in Ilford, for personalised advice on managing debt

Redbridge Central library is now home to a new service which enables local people to get advice from debt experts, to help them move to a life that is debt-free and stress-free.

The average household credit card debt in the UK is over £2,400. Five million people are laden with monthly payments to service debts of over £10,000 in loans and credit. This level of debt is often unmanageable without guidance and support.

The new debt-free hub sits within a booth on the ground floor of Redbridge Central Library in Ilford, and local people can either make an appointment, or drop in and connect to an advisor from Debt Free Advice. The advisors are professionally trained to offer personalised advice, help create household budgets, look at payment plans, and make individual plans for people to free themselves of the shackles of their debt.

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Maria G. Christofi, Corporate Director of Resources, at Redbridge Council said: “We recognise that this is a hard time for anyone managing budgets. If you’re in debt and have monthly payments to make, it can feel overwhelming. If this is the case, please remember you’re not alone and help is available to you. Through the hub, you can get help to manage your debt, advice on repaying it as quickly as possible, or learn how to make your monthly payments more manageable. Come along to our new debt-free hub.”

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Susanne Rauprich, chief executive of Citizens Advice Redbridge, says: "We here at Citizens Advice are pleased to have played a role in bringing this vital facility to Redbridge. It offers the option to access debt advice face-to-face, which is crucial for people for whom travel or phone advice is difficult. I would encourage anyone who cannot manage their monthly payments to seek help as early as possible. Even if you think your situation is impossible, help can usually be found."

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The hub at the Central Library in Ilford is in a quiet corner of the ground floor with no signage, to help keep people’s privacy when they pop in. There’s technology inside that people can use to connect directly to an advisor, at the touch of a button. This is a free service for anyone in the borough to use.

As a council we have lost 55% our funding since 2010, and we know many local people are also being impacted by the cost of living crisis. Support is available on our cost of living pages.