Questions
Is CAP just for Christians?
No, CAP will help anyone regardless of their religious beliefs. CAP aims to ensure that no one receives less favourable treatment on the grounds of race, nationality, religion, age, gender, marital status, sexual orientation or disability.
Does it cost anything?
No. Our service is completely free. We do give clients the opportunity to give donations to the charity so that we can help more families. However, this is completely voluntary, so many clients choose not to make a donation and this in no way affects the service that is offered.
Will the people I owe money to co-operate with you?
Yes. We are an award-winning charity and we are recognised within the finance industry. This means that councils, utilities and mortgage companies work with us because they have seen the results of our involvement. They know we offer fair repayments based on what you can afford.
Why can’t you help people over the phone?
We offer our unique CAP service through local centres and home visits, this is due to some of the distinct needs of many of our clients. For more information on finding a CAP Centre near you click here.
What if I am severely in debt, can you still help?
Yes. If you are unable to repay your debts, CAP offers the full range of insolvency options wherever you live in the United Kingdom. A fully trained adviser will suggest the best route in your circumstances and then assist and support you as far down that route as possible. If an IVA (in England or Wales) or a Trust Deed (in Scotland) is appropriate, we are able to refer you to a suitable partner who can prepare a proposal to your creditors.
I am self employed, can you help me?
No. This is due to the following reasons:
- Self employed income is often erratic.
- Running a business often means you need to have continued access to credit.
- There is a likelihood that your debt problems are connected to business problems
These reasons make it very difficult to run a CAP Account in a sustainable way. However, we are able to suggest agencies that can help you tackle the business problems in conjunction with your debt.
Do my partner and I both need to become clients?
Yes. We encourage every couple to face their debt problems together, even if only one partner has the debt. This is because household expenses are shared, and if we treat you individually it is very difficult to separate them out and have a full picture of what is and isn’t being paid.
What is the CAP Account?
The CAP Account acts as a simple bank account, into which you make one easy payment (either weekly, fortnightly or monthly). CAP will
use this money to pay your agreed bills and debt repayments to your creditors. This means you can work your way out of debt without feeling pressured. Your CAP Account also gives you the opportunity to save a small amount for emergency expenses and you can make withdrawals when you need to.
I don't have a bank account, can I still sign up for your service?
It is possible to work with CAP without a bank account. However we believe that the availability of basic banking services means that the vast majority of people should be able to open an account and we strongly urge our clients to do so. This will make it easier for you to
work with us and there are also many financial benefits to having a
bank account.
Will you pay my debts for me?
No. We do not pay your debts with our money. We put together a sustainable budget for you based on your income and your living expenses. Any money left over will be divided amongst your creditors based on the size of the debt you owe to them. These payments will
be made by CAP on your behalf, but with your money.
Will working with CAP affect my credit rating?
It is possible that your credit rating could be adversely affected by working with CAP. The offer we make to your creditor on your behalf may not necessarily be the contractual amount (often known as the ‘minimum payment’). This could lead to a default, which is registered
on your credit rating, but this may be a necessary consequence of you getting out of debt. If you are serious about reducing your debt, obtaining further credit in the near future should not be necessary.
I do not live in the UK can you help me?
No. We are unable to help anyone who does not live in the UK. If you are an immigrant living in the UK, we can help you as long as you have an income. However, if you need to go insolvent your residency could be affected. To find out about our international expansion click here.
Will my creditors stop charging me interest when I start working
with you?
We will aim to get interest and charges stopped on your debts.
This doesn’t always happen straight away and debts may rise in the short term whilst we are negotiating with your creditors, but in the long term this process is beneficial to you. Although we can’t always guarantee to get interest and charges stopped, we have seen great success in this area with a large number of creditors.
Do you have a complaints procedure?
Yes - Christians Against Poverty aims to provide service of a standard acceptable to all our users. If we fail to do this we want to know about it. This will enable us not only to deal with the specific problem, but also to avoid it happening again. To view our complaints procedure click here.
