Blackburn's debt levels increase despite UK trend

9:00pm Thursday 10th January 2013 in News

DEBT levels in Blackburn are rising and above the national average, says a charity helping families with financial problems reveal.

Figures from the StepChange Debt Charity show that the average unsecured debt level of people in the town contacting its helpline was on course to rise for 2012.

For the first nine months of last year, its average client in Blackburn owed £17,018. In 2011, the average owed was £16,406.

The rise in the average debt levels of Blackburn stands in contrast to the UK trend of falling debt levels and the national average of £15,995.

In the first three-quarters of 2012, StepChange Debt Charity advised 662 people in Blackburn regarding their debt problems. In 2011 that number was 778.

The charity is now warning consumers over the dangers of debt consolidation, and recommending the benefits of debt management.

It is urging anyone struggling to seek its help to draw up a detailed household budget and viable debt management solution.

Comments(10)

julespent says...
9:08pm Thu 10 Jan 13

These figures are staggering, average person owes £17,000 does this include a mortgage? I hope so!

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mrcool says...
9:21pm Thu 10 Jan 13

julespent wrote:
These figures are staggering, average person owes £17,000 does this include a mortgage? I hope so!
Jeez, maybe you should get a reading qualification before they let you loose into the big wide world.....the article states that it is referring to UNSECURED debt. Mortgages are SECURED.

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julespent says...
9:46pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Ok sorry mr cool, I dont need a reading qualification thanks, just misread the sentence. i just cant believe that someone would be in that much debt. As you can see i dont have much experience in the matter.

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tummble says...
10:59pm Thu 10 Jan 13

To be honest, £17,000 is not a lot of debt. My own debt is around £25,000.

I am a member of a debt forum (under another username) and there are many members with debts over £100,000 for various reasons.

While I welcome any help that people can receive to help them deal with their debts, especially if it keeps them away from payday loan and debt management companies, I'd just like to remind people that StepChange Debt Charity (formerly CCCS) is actually funded by the lenders so you have to question just how impartial their advice is.

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woolywords says...
11:10pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Micawbers Principle states.."Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure nineteen pounds nineteen and six, result happiness. Annual income twenty pounds, annual expenditure twenty pounds ought and six, result misery."
To have debts of over £17 000 really is eye-watering amounts.
I hope that those who help you resolve them are worth the advice, and not just in it, for what they get out of it. As they say, no such thing as a free lunch.
Best wishes for a more solvent New Year.

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woolywords says...
11:13pm Thu 10 Jan 13

Welcome poverty!..Welcome misery, welcome houselessness, welcome hunger, rags, tempest, and beggary! Mutual confidence will sustain us to the end!

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George.White.Bread says...
12:15am Fri 11 Jan 13

I though this was a story about Blackburn Rovers.

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mrcool says...
12:59am Fri 11 Jan 13

julespent wrote:
Ok sorry mr cool, I dont need a reading qualification thanks, just misread the sentence. i just cant believe that someone would be in that much debt. As you can see i dont have much experience in the matter.
No need for apologies, I was jesting. But in all reality, It isn't hard to get into debt of £17k. Decent new car can put you back about £12k and looking all around, I see a lot of BMW, MERCEDES, 4x4's knocking about......contrary to the stereotypical view that some might have that these are the proceeds of crime, I would guess the vast majority are the subject of finance and loans, resulting in a debt of the proportions that are quoted. Personally, apart from my mortgage, I don't have any debt. Best way to be.

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N4you! says...
11:06pm Fri 11 Jan 13

it's time we traded in gold and not paper money, the paper money doesn't even have it's own value with in itself and here people are in debt in electronic figures, I bet these people even run on electric, ha ha, you've been deceived from day one and will carry on to be deceived the only solution you have is gold.

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julespent says...
11:27pm Sat 12 Jan 13

tummble, £17,000 is a lot of debt and so is £25,000! I agree with Woolywords that is eye watering and i would struggle to sleep if i owed that much!

mrcool, i only owe a mortgage myself, i agree its the best way to be because when the world comes to knock you down on your arse you will have a lot less to worry about. (not you personally by the way) he he!

I have never bought a new car, started of with a £100 banger and worked my way up from there. Me and my hubby dont live beyond our means. If we cant afford it we dont buy it.

The trouble is we live in a "i want it now whether i can afford it or not" society.

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