Get all your news in one place.
100's of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Business
Zoe Wood

‘People use candles because they’re scared of the bills’: a day with a debt charity helpline

Woman on phone with child in background
StepChange says a cost of living increase is the most common cause of debt, with a fifth giving that reason, and among those people, seven in 10 are women. Photograph: Chris Rout/Alamy

‘I’ve had nurses and teachers calling up,” says Sally Marshall, when asked if the financial pressure caused by the cost of living crisis is changing who is calling the helpline she answers for the debt charity StepChange.

The charity’s heartland is the poorest 20% of households in the country but the dramatic jump in living costs over the past year means more middle-class Britons are struggling to keep their heads above water.

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100's of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.