Store card debt risk of the young

Becky Wilks, a spokeswoman for National Debtline, said that young people are more likely to need debt help than older people as fewer younger people read the small print on store cards.

“The music is on, you’re buying clothes and if you buy today you get ten per cent off,” Ms Wills said. “Younger people of 18 and 19 might not be so inclined to read the small print and think about how much it is really costing them.

“Younger people can be more susceptible,” she added.

Her comments come as the governor of the Bank of England expresses his concern over the level of debt in Britain and the Conservative party announces plans to offer more debt help.

Store cards were picked up on by the Tories as a method by which people quickly got into debt and want to introduce a seven day ‘cooling off’ period for them to help people use them sensibly.