Debt advice seekers up 15% in a year

Essential expenditures on council tax bills, fuel and housing costs and maintaining water supplies are causing financial headaches for thousands across the UK, the latest survey by Citizens Advice has established.

In all, 83,000 people approached the advice charity in search of a debt solution for the first time last month and this figure represents a 15 per cent increase on the same period of 2006.

Teresa Perchard, director of policy for Citizens Advice, said: “Our bureaux are reporting a continuing increase in the number of debt problems people need help with.”

“If people have debt problems they must seek help straight away,” she added.

A study released by the price comparison service moneysupermarket.com recently suggested that there are millions of Brits now finding it impossible to climb out of their debt situation.