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Payment holidays have softened the financial shock of the lockdown - but many households will need further help

8 May 2020

Citizens Advice responds to news 700,000 people have taken up payment holidays on credit cards and nearly half a million have been approved for other personal loans.

Dame Gillian Guy, Chief Executive of Citizens Advice, said:

“The payment holidays provided by lenders have helped soften the financial shock of the coronavirus lockdown for hundreds of thousands of people.

“However, there’ll be many households needing further help, and more time, to get their finances in order.  

Renters and council tax payers who are falling behind on payments face a cliff edge when a temporary pause on payment enforcement comes to an end. 

“The government needs to take action to make sure people don’t face eviction or harsh debt collection for falling behind on bills due to coronavirus.“

Notes to editors

  1. Citizens Advice includes the national charity; the network of independent local Citizens Advice charities across England and Wales; the Citizens Advice consumer service; and the Witness Service.
  2. Citizens Advice is the statutory consumer advocate for energy and post. We provide supplier performance information to consumers and policy analysis to decision makers.
  3. The Citizens Advice Witness Service provides free, independent support for prosecution and defence witnesses in every criminal court in England and Wales.
  4. Citizens Advice offers Pension Wise services at 500 locations in England and Wales.
  5. Citizens Advice’s services are free, independent, confidential and impartial, and available to all regardless of race, gender, disability, sexual orientation, religion, age or nationality.
  6. To get advice online or find your local Citizens Advice, visit citizensadvice.org.uk
  7. For consumer advice, call the Citizens Advice consumer service on 0808 223 1133 or 0808 223 1144 to talk in Welsh.
  8. We helped 2.6 million people face to face, by phone, email and webchat in 2017-18. For service statistics see our monthly publication Advice trends.
  9. Citizens Advice staff are supported by over 23,000 trained volunteers, working at over 2,500 locations in England and Wales.