Alan Campbell, Salad founder, has become a prominent voice in the fight against irresponsible lending practices in the UK. As the founder of Debt Hacker, Campbell channels his energy into helping borrowers reclaim their rights, particularly those trapped by payday loans and high-cost credit that should never have been issued.
The starting point of his journey was the founding of Debt Hacker, launched in 2018, Debt Hacker is not a traditional claims management company. Instead, it operates as a campaigning body with a social mission. The platform provides free tools, resources, and complaint templates that allow borrowers to challenge loans on the grounds of affordability. In Campbell’s view, many of the loans issued by payday lending firms are unaffordable from the outset, leaving borrowers in spirals of debt. Debt Hacker was launched to redress this imbalance by giving consumers the means to fight back without paying costly fees.
The initiative came into its own after the collapse of payday lender Wonga in 2018. That failure left thousands of borrowers unsure about compensation claims. Debt Hacker positioned itself as an advocate for those individuals, pressing regulators and lenders to take responsibility. Campbell has consistently argued that the lending industry needs much tighter oversight, pointing to cases where borrowers were issued loans without any meaningful affordability checks.
As the UK continues to grapple with the legacy of payday lending, Debt Hacker stands out as a consumer-focused organisation willing to hold firms accountable. At its centre is Alan Campbell, a campaigner determined to expose irresponsible lending and help those affected take back control or their finances and overall situation.
Interviews With the Media
Here is a short list of some of the times Alan has been interviewed or quoted by various media organisations (not in date order).
The Guardian: High-cost lenders 'exploit NHS workers on pandemic frontlines'
Financial Times: UK regulator urged to crack down on banks overcharging borrowers
The Scotsman: Glasgow in sights of fintech aiming to disrupt lending market
The Independant: How to fix the UK debt crisis
The Scotsman: How the University of Edinburgh is pushing the idea of financial wellbeing to the fore
