Debt advice ‘better sooner than later’

Consumers facing debt management difficulties can help themselves to get out of trouble by seeking appropriate advice sooner rather than later, one expert has asserted.

James Ketchell, a spokesperson for the Consumer Credit Couselling Service (CCCS), insists that anyone facing a financial struggle should assess their circumstances and not be afraid to ask for expert help.

“The first thing to do is to sit down and look at all your income and expenditure and if your income is not going to cover your expenditure then you should seek expert advice,” he said.

“Ignoring the problem doesn’t mean it will go away – if you need help then you should get it straight away,” he added.

Mr Ketchell went on to point out that around half of all people approaching the CCCS for debt advice have recently gone through some sort of life changing experience, such as losing their job or being separated from their partner.

Earlier this year, the CCCS predicted that homeowners around the UK would be “on the rack” financially throughout 2007.