In the last 12 months, there has been an alarming rise in reliance on credit to survive — three fifths of those who responded to the survey had to borrow money to pay their bills. Deficit budgets form the biggest reason for a call for help — both the amount that we see daily, and the depth of the deficit are distressingly prevalent.

We see close partnership with the industry as the only real way to make a difference and defuse the ticking time bomb of debt. The report is divided into three key parts:

• Part I: The collapse: what causes people to become trapped in debt?

• Part II: Crushed under the weight: The impact of debt

• Part III: A helping hand to clear the rubble

Click here to read & download the report