Saudi Press

Saudi Arabia and the world
Saturday, Jul 05, 2025

Number of UK households with large debts rises by a third

Number of UK households with large debts rises by a third

Exclusive: Britons struggled even before winter rise in energy prices and benefits cut, research shows

The number of UK households struggling with large debts increased by a third in 2021, even before the winter rise in energy prices and the removal of the £20 uplift in universal credit payments, research suggests.

Analysis of Bank of England research carried out by the Jubilee Debt Campaign found that in September 2021 almost 10% of households reported that loan and interest repayments were a heavy financial burden, a 35% increase on the previous year’s figures.

Households also reported that their average monthly loan repayments reached a record £373 in 2021, up 22% on the year before and the highest figure for at least a decade.


The campaign group’s analysis is based on a survey of more than 6,000 households which was carried out in September 2021. Since then, millions of households have seen energy bills rise and are due to see a further increase next month.

The rise in Ofgem’s price cap in October and the failure of a number of low-cost energy suppliers led to some customers seeing bills increase by hundreds of pounds. On 1 April, an increase in the price cap means the average household will experience a 54% rise in bills.

The temporary £20 a week increase in universal credit introduced at the start of the pandemic was phased out at the end of September.

Surging food and petrol costs have added to the strain on finances since the research was done, and the Jubilee Debt Campaign said the rising cost of living threatened “to push people who are already living on the edge further into debt and poverty”.

The increase in the number of households reporting that their debts were a heavy financial burden followed two years of falls, but the campaign group said it suggested that measures to ease the impact of the pandemic had not helped everyone.

The data for loan repayments comes from analysis of households’ reports of repayments on unsecured debt, so does not include mortgages. It showed that in nominal terms and when inflation was adjusted for, these were running higher than over the past decade.

Citizens Advice said 5 million people had indicated that they would not be able to afford April’s energy price rises.


Separate research carried out last week showed families are already concerned about falling into debt as a result of higher living costs. Citizens Advice said 5 million people had indicated that they would not be able to afford April’s energy price rises, while in a survey by the Money Advice Trust one in five adults said they were likely to borrow or use credit in the next three months to cover essentials.

Dean Burn, 62, is involved with the Jubilee Debt Campaign in Manchester and worked for 41 years before losing his job during the Covid pandemic. He said: “I’m always juggling debts – this month I got my TV licence bill, so I’ve been unable to pay back my housing benefit overpayment.

“I’ve relied on food banks these past 12 months to get by and I can’t afford to even pay for the bus sometimes. I’ve been keeping just one light on in the house at a time and I’m now worried about being able to afford to heat my home.”

Joe Cox, the senior policy officer at Jubilee Debt Campaign, said Rishi Sunak needed to announce a serious plan to address the situation when he delivers the spring statement on Wednesday.

He said: “The worsening debt crisis is toppling households up and down the country … The government should target support to help those struggling with rising bills and mounting arrears and provide a ‘fair debt writedown’ to give people with high levels of debt a fresh start.”

Cox added: “We also need to see significant policies to deliver rising incomes and a decent universal minimum income floor to prevent these chronic debt crises from happening again.”

Citizens Advice said it had analysed the impact of the removal £20 universal credit uplift on clients using its services, and found that in more than a quarter of cases where an adviser referred someone to a food bank that was given as the reason.

Newsletter

Related Articles

Saudi Press
0:00
0:00
Close
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Russia Formally Recognizes Taliban Government in Afghanistan
Mediators Edge Closer to Israel-Hamas Ceasefire Agreement
Emirates Airline Expands Market Share with New $20 Million Campaign
House Oversight Committee Subpoenas Former Jill Biden Aide Amid Investigation into Alleged Concealment of President Biden's Cognitive Health
Amazon Reaches Major Automation Milestone with Over One Million Robots
Meta Announces Formation of Ambitious AI Unit, Meta Superintelligence Labs
China Unveils Miniature Insect-Like Surveillance Drone
Marc Marquez Claims Victory at Dutch Grand Prix Amidst Family Misfortune
Iran Executes Alleged Israeli Spies and Arrests Hundreds Amid Post-War Crackdown
Trump Asserts Readiness for Further Strikes on Iran Amid Nuclear Tensions
Iran's Parliament Votes to Suspend Cooperation with Nuclear Watchdog
Trump Announces Upcoming US-Iran Meeting Amid Controversial Airstrikes
Trump Moves to Reshape Middle East Following Israel-Iran Conflict
NATO Leaders Endorse Plan for Increased Defence Spending
U.S. Crude Oil Prices Drop Below $65 Amid Market Volatility
Explosions Rock Doha as Iranian Missiles Target Qatar
“You Have 12 Hours to Flee”: Israeli Threat Campaign Targets Surviving Iranian Officials
Oman Set to Introduce Personal Income Tax, First in Gulf
Germany and Italy Under Pressure to Repatriate $245bn of Gold from US Vaults
Iran Intensifies Crackdown on Alleged Mossad Operatives After Sabotage Claims
Trump Praises Iran’s ‘Very Weak’ Response After U.S. Strikes and Presses Israel to Pursue Peace
WATCH: Israeli forces show the aftermath of a massive airstrike at Iran's Isfahan nuclear site
We have new information and breaking details to share about what is shaping up to be a historic air campaign tonight
Six Massive Bombs Dropped on Fordow; Trump: 'A Historic Moment for the U.S., Israel, and the World'
Fordow: Deeply Buried Iranian Enrichment Site in U.S.–Israel Crosshairs
United States Conducts Precision Strikes on Iran’s Nuclear Sites
US strikes Iran nuclear sites, Trump says
Pakistan to nominate Trump for Nobel Peace Prize.
Israel Confirms Assassination of Quds Force Commander in Tehran
16 Billion Login Credentials Leaked in Unprecedented Cybersecurity Breach
Senate hearing on who was 'really running' Biden White House kicks off
G7 Leaders Fail to Reach Consensus on Key Global Issues
Mass exodus in Tehran as millions try to flee following Trump’s evacuation order
Iranian Military Officers Reportedly Seek Contact with Reza Pahlavi, Signal Intent to Defect
Vietnam Emerges as Luxury Yacht Destination for Ultra‑Rich
China's Iranian Oil Imports Face Disruption Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions
Trump Demands Iran's Unconditional Surrender Amid Escalating Conflict
Israeli Airstrike Targets Iranian State TV in Central Tehran
President Trump is leaving the G7 summit early and has ordered the National Security Council to the Situation Room
Netanyahu Signals Potential Regime Change in Iran
Analysts Warn Iran May Resort to Unconventional Warfare
Iranian Regime Faces Existential Threat Amid Conflict
Energy Infrastructure Becomes War Zone in Middle East
Iran Conducts Ballistic Missile Launches Amid Heightened Tensions with Israel
Iran Signals Openness to Nuclear Negotiations Amid Ongoing Regional Tensions
Shock Within Iran’s Leadership: Khamenei’s Failed Plan to Launch 1,000 Missiles Against Israel
Trump's Anti-War Stance Tested Amid Israel-Iran Conflict
×