A TILLICOULTRY church has teamed up with others in the area to provide a debt help service for people struggling financially.

Tillicoultry Baptist Church is working alongside local churches in Stirling and Falkirk in partnership with Christians Against Poverty (CAP) in delivering the service.

The churches have been working for four years to support people across Forth Valley to go debt-free through their free, person-centred service.

Colin Primrose, Tillicoultry Baptist Church secretary and debt coach for the service, explained that the service is tailor-made for each person.

He said: “It’s a free service. We provide in-person consultations in homes and help them to find the right solution for them.

“There are various different ways to get out of debt but we’ll work with individuals to find bespoke advice to help clients.”

The latest YouGov poll commissioned by the CAP found that 1.2 million people in Scotland are finding bills hard to keep up with.

Despite these figures, only four per cent of Scottish adults have sought help for their debt, potentially worsening the problem.

Fiona Welsh, debt centre manager, said: “It is heartbreaking that so many people across Forth Valley are trapped in debt and don’t know where to turn.

“In 2022, 50 per cent of the new clients we supported told us they had either seriously considered or attempted suicide as a way out of debt.

“It is deeply concerning that people are continuing to struggle alone.

"If you or someone you know is struggling to pay your bills and the arrears are mounting, our message is clear: please don’t wait.”

Find out more by calling 0800 328 0006 or visiting capscotland.org.