Policy and Government

We are pleased to respond to the FCA’s Credit Information Market Study, to identify if harm is occurring in the credit information market. This market offers many benefits, however we were particularly keen to see whether there is a fairer way of displaying debt resolutions on credit reports, to favour those who repay their debts over those who go through insolvency.

CAP has joined over 45 charities calling on the Government to lift the two-child limit and help all children thrive. Families with a third of subsequent child born after 6 April 2017 are no longer entitled to Tax Credits or Universal Credit for that child - worth £2,780/year. As a result, 300,000 children will be pushed into poverty and a million pushed deeper into poverty by 2023/4. The number of children already living in poverty in the UK is unacceptable. It is not right that children should bear the brunt of this policy and we are asking the Government to look again. Find out more here.

In a society that believes in compassion and justice, it can’t be right that many people are held back by destitution and locked out of opportunities to improve their lives. This is particularly the case for a high proportion of those in financial difficulty who experience poverty so extreme that they lack basic subsistence. For example, before CAP's help, 89% went without food, 80% without heat and 9% even went without shelter. Click here to read the briefing paper in full.

We have made a submission to Sinn Fein's Prosperity and Opportunity consultation which is looking at ways the party can tackle poverty, disadvantage and social exclusion. They believe poverty is a denial of economic and social rights. In our response we outlined how over-indebtedness in Northern Ireland contributes to this and the challenges the families we support in Northern Ireland face.

At present, you can go through the County Court or High Court to evict someone. It's a quicker process through the High Court and the evictee receives no notice of the time or date of their eviction. CAP is in support of bringing in a statutory notice period for High Court, as there is in the County Court, which would help people make alternative housing arrangements or provide more time for them to seek advice. We are also in support of bringing in safeguards to prevent cases being unnecessarily transferred to the High Court.