As we leave the summer of 2025 behind and step into October, we enter a month that is unapologetic, bold, and powerful: Black History Month in Britain. This is a time to honour struggle and triumph, to celebrate the contributions of Black communities, and to confront the uncomfortable realities of poverty and inequality that still persist today.
Welcome to the Debt Talk Podcast. I’m your host, Ripon Ray. This episode: “Poverty & Black History in Britain.” To guide us through this important conversation, I’m joined by two remarkable guests:
Jerry During, founder of Money A&E, the UK’s first lived-experience-led debt and financial education service, was born in Newham. Jerry shared how his father’s experience of debt shaped his childhood, and how his own awareness of being Black sharpened as he pursued a legal career. In law firms, the only non-white faces he encountered were in low-income roles, such as those of cleaners and receptionists. That moment stayed with him. His fascination with the diversity of challenges faced by indebted communities, alongside policy failures, drove him to create a service rooted in lived experience. As a Black man from East London, he set out to change the narrative and build something that spoke directly to the needs of his community.
Helen Barnard, Director of Policy and Research at the Trussell Trust, brought her powerful insights from the recent report “Hunger in the UK.” The research shows that Black and minority ethnic communities are twice as likely to experience food insecurity compared to white communities. She explained how insecure jobs, low pay, and a welfare system that fails to meet people’s needs fuel this crisis. Helen stressed the importance of centring lived experience in policy-making—not only because it gives voice to those most affected, but because it is essential for driving meaningful change.
Together, our expert panel provided practical tips for individuals facing financial struggles, as well as clear calls to action for policymakers to build fairer and stronger communities. Their voices carry weight in this vital month of recognition and resistance. And stay tuned—our next episode tackles another urgent issue: “Insecure Homes.”
