ACCORDING to a report by the Children’s Society and the StepChange debt charity, more than a quarter of all families in Islwyn suffer serious debt problems.
More than 8,000 children in Islwyn and Caerphilly live with families having problem debt.
Debt accounts for nearly 9,000 queries, or 42 per cent of cases, dealt with by Citizens Advice Bureau in Caerphilly county borough in the last year alone.
No wonder thousands of Islwyn families are driven to using foodbanks, and hundreds are forced to borrow from loan sharks.
But this cost of living crisis is no accident – it’s a direct result of the Tory-led Westminster government’s austerity measures, including savage cuts and welfare ‘reforms’ like the Bedroom Tax.
We can reject this dreadful coalition government at the ballot box next May.
In the meantime, families struggling with debt could contact Caerphilly County Citizens Advice Bureau for advice on 0844 477 2020.
And rather than borrow from loan sharks, try local credit unions for fair savings and loan services – the Islwyn Community Credit Union can be contacted on 01495 222832.
Councillor G Kirby, Pontllanfraith
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