Average debt among Britons seeking help passes £10,000 for the first time as cost-of-living crisis bites

From the Newshound archive · first published 6 October 2026.

Citizens Advice reports that the average debt carried by people in England and Wales turning to the charity for help has exceeded £10,000 for the first time, with rising energy, council tax and housing costs identified as the key drivers. More than 48,000 people a month have sought debt help this year — a 37% rise since 2022. Half of those asking for support spend more on essentials than they earn, facing a typical monthly shortfall of £254.

Citizens Advice director Tom MacInnes called debt 'the elephant in the room', warning that 'decades of repayments won't touch' what families owe.

A third of those who do have money left over at month's end will still take MORE THAN A DECADE to clear their debts, even before interest and fees.

Average debt stood at around £7,000 in 2019, before the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis pushed families to breaking point.