The spiralling cost of food is causing people to adjust their belts outwards as they can only afford less healthy foods, a local debt counselling charity has found.

But Christians Against Poverty (CAP) is primed with advice to help those drowning in debt to batten down and lead healthier lifestyles by ridding themselves of the financial bite.

The charity, which has a branch in Aldershot High Street linked to the KC21 church, commissioned YouGov to carry out research into how the current economic downturn had affected more than 2,000 people’s dietary habits.

The online research found that 48% of the 2,057 surveyed said that their food budgets were being stretched, while around a third admitted that they were eating less healthily because of the rising price of food.

The CAP assists people — religious or not — who find that their finances are in meltdown, through home visits from volunteers who offer advice and a possible solution to people’s mounting debt problems.

Spokesman Jonathan Priestley said some people would forego buying food and would deliberately miss meals in a desperate attempt to save cash in order to pay off their creditors.

“What we have found is that some of our clients will go without food or buy less healthy, cheaper items in order to try to meet their payments,” he added.

“We have even helped some people who live with their lights off and curtains drawn because of their fear of bailiffs coming round. Some even speak in hushed voices in their own homes to try to ward off the wolves from the door.”

CAP, whose Aldershot branch is open to anybody in our area, can give details on how to prioritise bills and ways of structuring a budget to agree repayments in a manageable manner to creditors.

“We offer a service of going to people’s homes and going through all the documents and pieces of paper in the comfort of people’s homes,” Mr Priestley said.

“It is often that people pay those who shout the loudest, often to the detriment of their own health and diet, as people are often intimidated by those who come to the door asking for money.”

Aldershot CAP manager Jan Goonery said she was shocked by the number of people whose diets were being affected by the financial pinch.

“These results are evidence that we are slipping further into financial difficulty as a country,” she said. “While many focus on the impending crisis, we want to determine how there is a solution for those trapped in debt.”

Clients can open a CAP account, used to arrange distributed payments to companies on their behalf, which is designed specifically for those who do not hold a bank account.

The charity has a creditor liaison unit in Bradford, where consumer finance expert John Kirby set it up at his home with a £10 donation 12 years ago. CAP now has more than 80 branches nationwide.
 
Ms Goonery said: “We are able to offer hope and a solution to those struggling to make repayments and we are seeing people turn their finances round.

“It is evidence that with the right support, guidance and sound financial principles, people can avoid the worst excesses of the economic downturn and work their way out of debt.

“Over the past 12 years we have been able to help so many people in the local community, but I am very aware that so many more still need our help.

“Our service is completely free and we work with all members of the local community, regardless of faith.”

All CAP centres work in partnership with a local church. It has set a target of at least one centre in every major British town by 2021.

It has received several accolades for its work in the com-munity, including being judged the best charity to work for in 2006 and 2007 at the UK Charity Awards and first place in The Sunday Times Best Small Company to Work For Awards this year.

Call 0800 328 0006 if you want CAP’s help.