Citizens Advice has called for upfront fees to be abolished for those trying to get out of debt, saying that no-one should be "priced out of a fresh start".
The charity said that the fees involved when it comes to clearing large amounts of debt, such as through a debt relief order (DRO) or declaring bankruptcy, act as an "in-built barrier" for those who are most in need. A DRO costs £90 upfront, while declaring bankruptcy comes with a cost of £680.
In a new report, Citizens Advice insisted that the payments "simply aren't affordable for people in deep debt distress", as they will typically not have the spare cash to pay upfront fees. The charity, who said that it helped more than 320,000 people with debt problems last year, added that the majority trying to legally write off their debts struggle to pay the fees involved.
