We can only continue to support communities in Greater Manchester and Lancashire thanks to people like you. There are lots of ways you can help.
Supporting John*
John had a very large debt on both his gas and electricity accounts. He was receiving regular letters from debt collectors and had become very stressed by this situation.
He was also confused by how he could have been in so much debt as he had a prepay meter and did not have a card/key to top up leaving him in a position where he had not had gas or electricity in the property for a number of years.

To help with this issue we contacted John’s supplier and attempted to set up a payment plan and find out why the debt was so high.
By making regular contact with the supplier, it became apparent that this debt was inaccurate and that a mix up by the supplier had led to them incorrectly assigning debt to this account.
We liaised with John’s support worker to get pictures of the meters sending all relevant evidence to the supplier, we also made a complaint as the supplier had left their customer without access to energy for a number of years due to this mistake.
As a result of helping him, his supplier has now correctly wiped over £6000 of debt, with another £9000 hopefully being removed soon.
John has expressed that this has really helped him and has removed a significant financial worry from his life.
Moving forward we hope to get his debt balance to zero and ask for a goodwill gesture from the supplier to cover the stress he has been through. We will also support him so he is able to top up his meter and have him in a situation where he can have lights on in his home for the first time in a while.
*Name has been changed
Help more people like John*
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We have more than 277 amazing volunteers. Will you please join them so we can continue supporting even more local people?
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Take part in an event, join our campaigns, take on a challenge or sponsor a room or activity. You could even become a sponsor or corporate supporter. Do it your way…
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Shouting loudly, calling for justice, or taking action with others in your local community…there are lots of ways you can make a difference.
Where your money goes
It costs £12,000 per day to provide the level of service and support being delivered in Caritas projects across Greater Manchester and Lancashire.
Which means that everyone who needs it is able to access urgent practical help required, as well as any advice and support that will help them for the long term.
Every single donation matters because it means nobody is turned away or left behind.
These are just some examples of how your donation could be used to provide critical support – right now – or help someone begin to transform their own life with dignity.
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£30.06is the cost of professional suport to someone facing a crisis
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£86.00is the average cost of a weekly shop for a family of four people
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£112.16is the average energy bills for a month for a 2-3 bed home
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£1,500is the cost to sponsor one of our rooms for a year, preventing someone from being homeless