Its a weird question to be asked - how has the debt affected me.....I don't know how to answer it. I'm crushed. I did the right thing, I'm a good person, I didn't break the law and I was so careful because I was so grateful for the support. I'm confused, I feel bullied and I've been threatened. I've medicated for stress and anxiety. I've cried and I've yelled and I've given up and changed my mind more times than I can count. Financially - well apparently its affecting my credit rating and I'm trying to buy a house so this could be the end of that dream for me that I have worked so damn hard for.
The government hasn't handled this process at all. They've ignored the process entirely. They've been advised to hold the process and they've chosen not to, they haven't set up a specifically trained team to handle this, they are continuing to drown more and more people in this with no regard for the individuals affected.