Collection: Debt and/or Money

We were surprised by wealth. The question then became how do we use this wealth to honour God? That's not a simple question. Money tends to hold power over us. Giving really takes away that power and dethrones this control.

The Debt

A young Mexican boy comes of age – for better or worse – in his quest to save his beloved pet goat from a debt collector. The film is inspired by Jesus’ Parable of the Unmerciful Servant.

“You feed them”

Jesus’s challenge to his disciples. Today, at any one time, Saltbox’s 50 staff and 40+ volunteers are helping almost 500 needy local people with housing, loneliness and debt. Changing the world one life at a time..

Dismantling the poverty premium

Limited means of consumers on low incomes reduces their economic flexibility, creates costly choices, which then serves to reduce their overall means. This cycle of paying over the odds makes up the poverty premium.

Worth It

The old way of treating employees as an expense to be minimised is not effective as treating them as valuable assets and human beings. It hinders growth and keeps everyone from realising their full potential.

Stewardship as surrender

After travelling on various short-term mission trips, Robert Kim started imagining the role of investing as a tool to uplift communities – as a conduit of God’s blessings. He sets out 3 elements of stewardship..

Money Help Toolkit

Compassionate Communities ran a series on “Covid 19: Responding to the Debt Tsunami”. They explored, with the help of experts and parishes, how the church can help and support those struggling with money in wake of Covid-19.

Helping small businesses to grow - a story

Clyne started a company in 2019 with just one van which supported the family and repayments on the van. He needed funding to expand to the next level but found it difficult to get money. He now has 3 vans and...

From outsourcing to ethical sourcing

Every employer has the power to effect significant social change right now – through their purchasing and outsourcing decisions. Three key tests..

William Hartley

Founder of Hartley's Jams. Looked after his workers and suppliers. Set aside a specific portion of income for religious and philanthropic purposes. This %age was continually increased.

How to deal with debt - a 3-step guide

A new guide which uses behavioural insight techniques and has gone through extensive user-testing to maximise the chances of people using it taking the steps they need to deal with their debts.

Ways to reduce compulsive spending

An update on a trial of an online tool which provided people with the ability to close online shops at times of their choosing and limit temptation to spend. Some good recommendations.

A behavioural bank

A new digital-only bank aims to address financial risk by incenting five controllable behaviours - not spending more than we earn, not saving regularly, not having insurance in place, not paying off property and not investing for the long term.

The spirituality of professional skills and business

Of Jesus’ 132 public appearances, 122 were in the marketplace. Of 52 parables Jesus told, 45 had a workplace context. Jesus spent his adult life as a carpenter until age 30 before he went into a preaching ministry in the workplace.

Behind on the basics

For some people, just keeping up with basic household costs can be a real struggle. In 2017, 140,000 people who received debt advice from StepChange were behind on at least one of their essential household bills.

Lausanne Global Classroom: Wealth Creation

Highlights the importance of wealth creation for global Christianity and the church in order to inspire young leaders, established leaders, churches, organizations, and individuals.

Recovery space

Policy recommendations to ensure that people receiving medical support for a mental health crisis are protected from financial harm, and given space to recover

#Balanceitup

Practical action for employers minded by the common good to help address the widening gap between top earners and lowest paid workers.

In Too Deep: an investigation into debt and relationships

Struggling with problem debt can lead to relationship distress, increased conflict, decreased positive communication, mistrust and relationship breakdown.

Stop the knock

The use of bailiffs to collect council tax and other debts has risen 14% in two years. They should only ever be used as a last resort.

Piggy Bank Friday

An initiative in primary schools with 10-11 year olds to develop financial literacy. At one school. pupils saved over £24,000 in one year.

Nudging tools for money advisers

A toolkit, which uses behavioural science to better engage and support people with unmanageable debt.

Opportunities and challenges in the debt advice sector

Some highlights from a July 2017 report on research on the debt advice sector commissioned by the Money Advice Service.

Credit Cards - the minimum payment trap

In April 2017 the FCA estimated that there are four million credit card accounts in what they call long-term, persistent debt.

The poverty premium

Research into eight types of poverty premium that households experience to varying degrees at an average of £490pa.

Shopper Stopper

Giving people control over the shops that never close.

Debt help buys financial freedom for years

CAP's The Freedom Report - research on importance of debt advice in building financial capability, resilience to stay free of problem debt.

Pay Compare - helping make pay ratio reporting common practice

The pay ratio enables employees, shareholders, consumers see how serious a company or organisation is about fair pay and equality.

The use of digital technologies to tackle financial exclusion

The Centre for Social Justice (CSJ) hosted a roundtable discussion in July 2016 to discuss how digital skills and technology can help tackle the problem of financial exclusion.

God and money films plus study guides

Just Finance have published four short videos on what the Bible says about money and how does Christian tradition help us think about money and debt.

Justice - practically living it out

Richard Gough, General Secretary at the Diocese of London challenges us to think about justice as consumers, in the context of business and with our assets.

Money and mental health - a consultation

People with mental health problems are far more likely to face financial difficulty than others. The Money and Mental Health charity have launched a consultation on policies to protect such consumers.

The CEO who cut his pay to give his staff a £50,000 minimum wage

A challenging story from the USA about Dan Price, the CEO of Gravity Payments who earned $1.1M pa and decided to reduce it so that all workers in the company could earn a minimum salary of $70,000pa

Linking CEO pay to rates of lowest paid staff?

Some time back, I attended a workshop on inequality. One of the questions that intrigued me was, 'What should be the ratio of the CEO's pay in a company and the lowest paid workers?'

Helping financial management

There are some financial products that could be useful for those struggling with budgeting and managing their finances. If you are involved in debt advice or helping vulnerable people you may want to investigate further.

God and money - money, scripture and tradition

Second of a series of 4 short films from To Your Credit. Leading theologians reflect how the Church has developed its teaching on debt, money and credit over the last two thousand years.

Carry a generosity kit with you

A generosity kit could be as big as a suitcase or as small as your back pocket. The idea is just that you face the day prepared – with a kit of items that could range from a safety pin to a shovel, ready to give out generously to those in need.

goHenry - a fun way to pay pocket money and teach good money habits?

goHenry is a Pre-paid Card and App with unique parental controls for young people aged 8 to 18. It was founded by a group of parents, designed specifically with the goal of helping young

A look at the lives of 300,000 people in debt in the UK

Nearly 550,000 people contacted the StepChange Debt Charity for help in 2015. Their Statistic Yearbook 2015 gives some real insights, through simple infographics, into the personal debt of clients in this year.

Lifesavers - financial education and savings clubs

The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Task Group and pfeg, the Personal Finance Education Group are rolling out LifeSavers, a national financial education programme for primary schools. Could you register a primary school you are involved with?

God and money film - money, debt and salvation

First of a series of 4 short films from To Your Credit, Justin Welby and leading theologians reflect on the theology of money and debt. A guide for small group discussion accompanies each film, including key bible