Prisons Week 2026: Breaking the cycle of debt in Scottish prisons

Debt and poverty are closely linked to the experiences of people in the criminal justice system. In fact, the prison population in Scotland is disproportionately made up of people who are already experiencing poverty – and being in custody can make things much worse.

When someone is in custody, they’re cut off from the outside world. This means they cannot contact their bank, utility provider or landlord. As a result, those not yet in debt may find themselves in arrears, and for those already facing financial hardship, the struggle quickly becomes more severe.

The debts may keep building up, meaning when someone gets out of prison, they’re left with unmanageable debt.

*Scottish Government (2023). Scottish Prison Population Statistics 2022–23. 
**The Robertson Trust (2023). Hard Edges Scotland.

Many ex-prisoners recognise that they haven’t had the chance to develop their money management skills and find it hard to budget. Yet for most people leaving prison, there is little or no structured help to manage debt, secure income or build the financial skills they need to get – and stay – out of debt. This is often referred to as the ​‘Prisoner Finance Gap’.

Without access to money, housing or credit, many people are left vulnerable to the same pressures that contributed to their offending in the first place. Debts continue to grow, benefit claims are delayed, and the stress of trying to secure housing and work can quickly lead to crisis. Ex-offenders often end up being driven deeper into poverty, which increases their chance of reoffending.

Through our church prison outreach in Scotland, we’ve seen firsthand how having a family member in prison ​‘creates, sustains and entrenches poverty for the families left behind’. 

Managing the loss of household income while funding the cost of staying in contact with their loved one places an enormous strain on families.

*Families Outside (2023) Paying the Price: A Project on the Financial Impact on Families of Imprisonment and Release.
**PACT (2023) Serving a Hidden Sentence.

That’s why Prisons Week is about praying for everyone impacted by the criminal justice system, including victims and families – and about taking action to bring financial and relational support to those impacted by the criminal justice system.

CAP is currently the only organisation offering regulated, face-to-face debt advice inside Scottish prisons.

CAP currently offers debt help in two prisons in Scotland: HMP Edinburgh and HMP & YOI Grampian, in partnership with local churches.

It all began in 2022 when Mark, who manages the Edinburgh North Debt Centre, received a call from a mother seeking help for her son in HMP Edinburgh…

‘He wanted to clear his debts, but his application for bankruptcy had been refused. He’d been told to seek independent debt advice, and his mum came to us for help.

After completing the necessary compliance and training requirements, Melanie (Debt Centre Manager in Edinburgh West) and I paid our first visit to our client and two others in HMP Edinburgh.

These cases were incredibly successful – and a lot more simple and quick than anticipated. As a result, we’ve been going into the prison regularly ever since, and the CAP team in Peterhead have followed in our footsteps, bringing vital free debt help to those in HMP & YOI Grampian.’

– Mark, Edinburgh North Debt Centre Manager

And the team have recently been able to expand their vital free debt help beyond just those in prison, to helping their loved ones too:

‘We’ve recently been able to start offering our services to the loved ones of those in prison, who come along to the Visitors’ Centre at HMP Edinburgh. We go in once a week, and explain how we’re helping those in prison access our free debt help, and that we’re there to help their friends and family too.

Within just two visits, we’ve already talked to several people, including six in-depth conversations with people in debt, who we were able to let know that we’re here to help. The burden on those with a loved one in prison is huge, and we’re in a unique position to help alleviate that stress and break the cycle of poverty.’

– Melanie, Edinburgh West Debt Centre Manager

And this free prison debt help has been welcomed by the Offender Outcomes team, too:

Join Christians across Scotland and the rest of the UK in praying for those in prison, their loved ones and prison staff. Pray for the amazing work happening through local churches in HMP Edinburgh and HMP & YOI Grampian, and that even more lives would be transformed.