Policy and Government

Today CAP launches the latest Client report showing the unbelievable reality of debt and poverty in the UK and the hope CAP is able to bring through the local Church. The report aims to take the reader beyond the facts and figures and show them the deeply personal impacts of problem debt, how it feels and why holistic support is vital. Download the report here.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has responded to the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) consultation. This consultation sought to establish a consensus on the proposed data sharing regulations for a safeguard energy tariff. If legislation is approved in the Digital Economy Act, the Department of Work and Pensions would be able to share benefit information with energy suppliers in order to provide a safeguard tariff to those overpaying on their energy. Read CAP's response below.

CAP has responded to the Ministry of Justice’s consultation on default County Court Judgments (CCJ). This consultation explores the remedies to situations where claim forms are not received, whether because it was sent to a previous address or they have not opened their post, meaning a defendant does not have knowledge of the claim. Three quarters of CAP clients are afraid to open the post and 64% are afraid to answer the phone. What’s more, CAP strongly supports the creation of a trusted source of public information, as well as the proposed action to help those with default judgments. Click below to read the full report.

CAP has provided an executive summary for the Consumer Council’s Draft Forward Work Programme 2018/2019. This publication looks ahead to the work the Consumer Council is planning to undertake in Northern Ireland over the next two years. We were pleased to hear about the partnership to be formed between the Consumer Council and HM Treasury in order to combat illegal money lending, as well as the plans to reduce digital exclusion. We suggested that there should be greater emphasis placed on ensuring offline channels remain open for those who are digitally excluded. Read our full response below.

Christians Against Poverty (CAP) has responded to the FCA’s consultation, Our future approach to consumers. We were pleased to see the development of plans from the FCA’s mission, released last April, and the growing emphasis on protecting vulnerable consumers. The expectation for firms to take reasonable steps in identifying vulnerability was welcomed, but we had concerns about the FCA's new definition of vulnerability. The new definition states that firms should be able to readily identify vulnerability, when in reality vulnerability is not easily identifiable. To read more, click below.