The Consumer Credit Counselling Service has reported a 'large increase' in the number of people requiring its help.
Increasing numbers of UK consumers are struggling with debt - and are turning to the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) for help.
According to Joseph Surtees, policy and research officer at the organisation, the CCCS is currently "the busiest we've ever been" and has recently been reimbursing £20 million a month to creditors. The increase in calls to the group has coincided with the beginning of the recession in the UK, which became official in the latter part of 2008.
"Towards the end of last year there was a large increase in the number of clients ringing our helpline and that has continued rising at the beginning of this year," he said.
Mr Surtees added that the media coverage of the financial crisis has led to people contacting the CCCS earlier than in the past. He said that this was a positive trend, because "the earlier [consumers with debt] access these tools the less impact the problems will have on their life, the sooner [they] will be able to live [their] life normally again".
However, the CCCS does predict that the number of people using their services will keep growing throughout the year, as further redundancies are expected.
