Families use loans to put food on the table
Families are being caught in a cycle of debt with unsecured borrowing up 15 per cent.
Office for National Statistics figures reveal the average deficit is almost £5,000 per person.
Debtors are in the red after hammering credit cards, overdrafts and payday loans.
Gillian Guy, chief executive of Citizens Advice, insists firms must be responsible when supplying loans.
She said: “People’s finances are increasingly stretched with many turning to credit to make ends meet.
“Lenders need to be serious about safeguarding their customers from future problem debt by only lending what people can afford to repay.
“We find that even £100 or £200 here and there can quickly mount up and become difficult to manage.
“Living with debt can be extremely hard going.
“Not only are you unable to put food on the table or pay your bills, but it can also affect your lifestyle and mental health.
“Lenders should support their customers when they spot warning signs by steering them to free debt advice services, including Citizens Advice.
“Our figures show 25 per cent of UK households with a volatile income used credit to pay for essentials such as food and bills.
“Last year, nearly six million people were given extra credit they had not asked for, encouraging them to fall into unnecessary debt.
“Debt tends to breed further debt, so we would urge anyone who is struggling financially to seek help from their local Citizens Advice team.”
Borrowers have racked up increasing debt in Renfrewshire over the last two years.
Unsecured lending leapt from an average £4,23 to £4,750 per person between 2015 and 2017.
Experts warn struggles to pay bills are leading to higher levels of stress and ill health.
Across Scotland, unsecured loan debt has surged by a fifth across over the period.
And it is at its highest level on record across the UK.
Glenn Evere t t, head of inequalities at the ONS, says the increasing burden is leading to a reduction in happiness.
He said: “Despite high levels of employment, rising incomes and spending across UK households, people are not reporting increases in their wellbeing.
“This may be due to worries about rising debt repayments, which could be driving concerns about their future financial situation.”
Shetland Islands has seen the biggest increase in consumer debt.
Borrowing is up eight per cent from an average of £14,613 in 2015 to £15,713 in 2017.
Richard Lane, director of external affairs for charity StepChange, has urged those struggling to seek help.
He said: “Financial unease is common, affecting more than a quarter of us.
“If debt is causing you stress, don’t suffer in silence – get advice.
“And if someone you know has debt problems, the best thing you can do is encourage them to contact a reputable, free debt advice charity for help.
“It is much harder trying to sort out their problems without expert support.”
For help with managing debt, call Citizens Advice Scotland on 0808 800 9060 or StepChange on 0800 138 1111.