Record number of British Jews seek help from debt support charity

The charity describes these individuals as the “new vulnerables” – people who previously regarded themselves as financially secure but are increasingly being pushed into difficulty by rising household costs and sustained pressure on their finances.

Bayla Perrin, chief executive of Paperweight, said the figures should never become something the community simply accepts.

“We must never become accustomed to figures like these,” she said. “Behind every number is a person who may be lying awake at night, frightened to open another letter, unsure how they will pay the next bill or simply too overwhelmed to know where to begin.”

She said the charity was particularly concerned about the growing number of people who had never expected to need support.

“What worries me most is how many people now turning to us never imagined they would need a charity. They have worked, saved and managed independently all their lives, but illness, bereavement, redundancy or the relentless rise in living costs has tipped a once stable life into uncertainty.”

Almost four in ten Paperweight clients now require assistance with finances, debt, tax or benefits. Around 650 people are actively receiving support from the charity at any one time.

The figures also highlight the vulnerability of older members of the community. More than half of all clients are aged 60 or over, including almost one in four aged 80-plus. Women account for 60 per cent of those seeking help.

Paperweight CEO Bayla Perrin (Photo: Paperweight)[Missing Credit]

Perrin said the charity’s work often involved addressing several interconnected problems rather than simply dealing with debt.

“People rarely come to Paperweight with just one problem,” she said. “Debt may be bound up with poor health, housing difficulties, family breakdown or bereavement.

“Our role is to unravel that tangle patiently, one issue at a time, and help someone feel that their life is manageable again.”

She added: “No one should be left alone with nowhere to turn and the fear that everything they have worked for is slipping away.”

The Joseph Rowntree Foundation has identified some of the fastest increases in hardship among groups traditionally considered less likely to experience poverty, including people not receiving means-tested benefits and outright homeowners. Meanwhile, debt advice charity StepChange reported that three in five people seeking its support in 2025 were employed.

The stigma surrounding financial hardship can make seeking assistance particularly difficult, say charity heads. People may feel embarrassed about admitting they cannot afford everyday essentials or worry about being judged by friends and their wider community.

Established in 2010, Paperweight has supported around 30,000 people nationwide and now helps approximately 2,500 people each year through its network of caseworkers and specialist advisers.

Its services include debt advice, family law clinics and initiatives designed to equip young adults with practical skills such as budgeting and financial literacy.

The charity also works with schools, healthcare providers, local authorities, communal organisations and rabbis to support people facing difficult circumstances.

The charity’s growing caseload, Perrin said, highlighted the importance of ensuring that those facing financial difficulties had somewhere to turn, practical support to draw on and the opportunity to regain control of their lives.

They recently launched NextGen to give guidance to young people about how to manage their finances.

paperweight.org.uk