AN increasing number of Island people are being submerged by a rising tide of debt — even before public sector job losses bite.
A leading UK debt charity said the number of its clients on the Island able to repay their debts has halved in the last five years — and the total of people seeking its help more than doubled in that time.
The statistics are highlighted in Debt View, a new map on the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) website that breaks down personal debt by region, area and postcode.
The map shows only 28 per cent of people from the Island who were debt-counselled last year had enough spare income to begin a repayment plan. That had dropped year on year from 53 per cent in 2005.
CCCS is urging anyone on the Island worried about their debt, or who is struggling to cover the cost of day-to-day expenses, to seek free advice and support rather than using fee-charging advice companies.
External affairs director Delroy Corinaldi said: "The picture is undoubtedly bleak and it seems likely many more families, including better-off ones, will be increasingly prone to over-indebtedness in the months ahead. It is also not a uniform picture across the country: public sector cuts in terms of jobs, spending and benefits will weigh disproportionately on certain groups of people.
"I am very concerned about the personal debt situation on the Isle of Wight. Not only are there more people contacting us for help with their debts but those who do are in an increasingly worse situation.
"I would urge anyone on the Island struggling to repay their debts to seek help from a charity such as CCCS which can provide free advice and support.
The freephone helpline, on 0800 138 1111, is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and the free and anonymous online Debt Remedy is on www.cccs.co.uk.
Reporter: richardw@iwcpmail.co.uk