Derry drowning in debt: People ‘struggling to survive’ warns Advice NI manager

The manager of Advice North West has issued a warning that many people here are “struggling to survive” and that current policies are doing little to address “relentless, damaging and ruinous inequalities”.
By Brendan McDaid
Published 19th Dec 2023, 11:41 BST
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Jackie Gallagher made the comments as she assessed the massive levels of need for Advice NW’s services over the past year.

It has now emerged that the free advocacy and advice service has dealt with clients presenting with a combined debt of over over £3m in the financial year to April 2023.

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Jackie Gallagher warned that poverty in the city and region is “being compounded on our people disproportionately”.

ADVICE NORTH WEST AGM. . . . .Group pictured at the Advice North. West Annual General Meeting held at Embassy Buildings, Strand Road, Derry on Friday last. Front left to right, Rosaleen French, Deputy Manager, Jacqueline Gallagher, Manager, Sam McPherson, Chair and Bernie Herry, Vice Chair. Back from let to right, Cllr Rory Farrell, Gerry Deeny, Cllr Gary Donnelly, Alderman Niree McMorris, Eddie Doherty and Cormac McKeone.. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)ADVICE NORTH WEST AGM. . . . .Group pictured at the Advice North. West Annual General Meeting held at Embassy Buildings, Strand Road, Derry on Friday last. Front left to right, Rosaleen French, Deputy Manager, Jacqueline Gallagher, Manager, Sam McPherson, Chair and Bernie Herry, Vice Chair. Back from let to right, Cllr Rory Farrell, Gerry Deeny, Cllr Gary Donnelly, Alderman Niree McMorris, Eddie Doherty and Cormac McKeone.. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)
ADVICE NORTH WEST AGM. . . . .Group pictured at the Advice North. West Annual General Meeting held at Embassy Buildings, Strand Road, Derry on Friday last. Front left to right, Rosaleen French, Deputy Manager, Jacqueline Gallagher, Manager, Sam McPherson, Chair and Bernie Herry, Vice Chair. Back from let to right, Cllr Rory Farrell, Gerry Deeny, Cllr Gary Donnelly, Alderman Niree McMorris, Eddie Doherty and Cormac McKeone.. (Photos: Jim McCafferty Photography)

“We are witnessing under Welfare Reform the biggest review of welfare benefits since Beveridge and a prevailing fall in standards of living for our children, our elderly and particularly sick and disabled. Current policies do little to address these relentless, damaging and ruinous inequalities that place our people in very precarious situations.

"Each day Advice NW staff witness our people struggling to survive a sustained buffeting from adverse welfare reform policies and economic setbacks. It is palpably evident that this relentless hardship will have devastating consequences for many of our clients.

"Recession, austerity and Welfare Reform initiatives place unprecedented demand on our Advice Services.”

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The new report states that ‘increasingly large numbers of individuals, families and businesses across the North West’ are finding that they can no longer cope financially without professional intervention, advice negotiation and guidance.

It adds: "Record levels of unemployment, increased redundancies, business failure, benefit cuts and welfare reform being imposed by government have all contributed to the increased levels of debt currently presenting in our offices.”

More inside.

Related topics:Derry