This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-25012492

The article has changed 6 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 4 Version 5
Poorest families 'need more help over debt' Poorest families 'need more help over debt'
(about 1 hour later)
Much more must be done to help the UK's poorest families tackle problem debt, a Conservative-leaning think tank says.Much more must be done to help the UK's poorest families tackle problem debt, a Conservative-leaning think tank says.
The Centre for Social Justice, which helped shape the 2010 Tory manifesto, says the average UK household has debts of £54,000, including mortgages - nearly twice the level of a decade ago.The Centre for Social Justice, which helped shape the 2010 Tory manifesto, says the average UK household has debts of £54,000, including mortgages - nearly twice the level of a decade ago.
It says the poorest 10% of households have average debts that are more than four times their income. It says the poorest 10% of households have debts more than four times their income and need more affordable credit.
Those households need affordable credit and free debt advice, it adds. The government said it was making affordable credit more accessible.
Financial educationFinancial education
The Maxed Out report, led by former Labour work and pensions minister Chris Pond, says the average debt repayments of people in that group were nearly half of their gross monthly income. The Maxed Out report, led by former Labour work and pensions minister Chris Pond, says the average debt repayments of people in the poorest 10% of households were nearly half of their gross monthly income.
Those households need affordable credit and free debt advice, it said.
But the authors say they have avoided the easy assumption of blaming individual responsibility.But the authors say they have avoided the easy assumption of blaming individual responsibility.
Nor were payday lenders, the housing bubble or the banking crash to blame, they say.Nor were payday lenders, the housing bubble or the banking crash to blame, they say.
Centre for Social Justice director Christian Guy said: "Years of increased borrowing, rising living costs and struggling to save has forced many families into a debt trap that is proving very difficult to escape.Centre for Social Justice director Christian Guy said: "Years of increased borrowing, rising living costs and struggling to save has forced many families into a debt trap that is proving very difficult to escape.
"Problem debt can have a corrosive impact on people and families.""Problem debt can have a corrosive impact on people and families."
BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said the poorest people could often access banking and credit only at a premium, with onerous terms making it more likely they would go overdrawn and suffer penalty charges.BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said the poorest people could often access banking and credit only at a premium, with onerous terms making it more likely they would go overdrawn and suffer penalty charges.
Mr Guy said the poorest people in the UK were "cut off from mainstream banking and have no choice now but to turn to loan sharks and high-cost lenders".Mr Guy said the poorest people in the UK were "cut off from mainstream banking and have no choice now but to turn to loan sharks and high-cost lenders".
The report says payday lenders have increased business from £900m in 2008/2009 to more than £2bn in 2011/2012.The report says payday lenders have increased business from £900m in 2008/2009 to more than £2bn in 2011/2012.
And it also identifies a lack of financial education, saying studies suggest two-fifths of young people are unable to differentiate between being overdrawn or in credit on a bank statement.And it also identifies a lack of financial education, saying studies suggest two-fifths of young people are unable to differentiate between being overdrawn or in credit on a bank statement.
It says more than 26,000 UK households have been accepted by councils as homeless in the past five years because of mortgage and rent arrears.It says more than 26,000 UK households have been accepted by councils as homeless in the past five years because of mortgage and rent arrears.
'Tough times'
Mr Pond said that "with falling real incomes and increasing costs of basic essentials, many, especially the most vulnerable, are sliding further into problem debt".Mr Pond said that "with falling real incomes and increasing costs of basic essentials, many, especially the most vulnerable, are sliding further into problem debt".
"The costs to those affected, in stress and mental disorders, relationship breakdown and hardship is immense. He said the costs to those affected, in stress, hardship and relationship breakdown was "immense", while lost employment and productivity also cost the nation.
"But so too is the cost to the nation, measured in lost employment and productivity and in an increased burden on public services."
Matt Barlow, chief executive of debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty, said the report echoed cases it comes across every day and said it had opened 16 new debt centres across the UK in the past month.Matt Barlow, chief executive of debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty, said the report echoed cases it comes across every day and said it had opened 16 new debt centres across the UK in the past month.
"The average income of our clients is around £12,000 and you can imagine in that circumstance it's very easy to reach a crisis," he said."The average income of our clients is around £12,000 and you can imagine in that circumstance it's very easy to reach a crisis," he said.
A spokesman for the Treasury said the government's plan - growing the economy, lowering the deficit and inflation and creating jobs - was the only sustainable way to raise living standards.
"We appreciate that times remain tough for many people so wherever possible we have found the money to freeze fuel duty, freeze council tax and take 2.7m people out of tax by increasing the tax free personal allowance," he said.
Changes to give more people access to affordable, short term credit included expanding credit unions to save consumers up to £1bn in loan interest repayments and working with councils and the Money Advice Service to ensure people have the right budgeting advice, he added.