Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed the launch of new campaign on debt advice and support from the Citizens Advice Network.

The ‘Stressed About Debt?’ campaign was launched today with figures published suggesting that over 660,000 people have seen their mental health and wellbeing impacted by debt.

The campaign aims to re-assure people that debt is nothing to be ashamed of, and that free, expert help is available to them from the Citizens Advice network.

Welcoming the campaign, Martin Whitfield MSP said: 

“There is growing evidence that the cost-of-living crisis is forcing more households than ever deeper in to debt.

“Living with debt inevitably has a knock-on impact on many people’s mental health, stress that get out of control without some outside help and support. 

“The Stressed About Debt campaign is helping to reassure anyone struggling with debt that it’s nothing to be ashamed of and that help and advice is available.

“I urge anyone in South Scotland who is finding it difficult to manage their debt to seek help from the Citizens Advice network today.”

CAS Financial Health spokesperson Sarah Jayne Dunn said:

“There is a clear link between money and mental health and that will have been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis.

“Hundreds of thousands of people across the country, through no fault of their own have fallen behind on bills and find themselves in debt. Some people will be in debt for the first time, others will have seen their existing debt get worse.

“There’s no shame in having debt, and it’s completely understandable to be stressed and anxious about it. For many people, debt is something they ignore until it builds up and becomes overwhelming.

“That’s why we’ve launched the Stressed about Debt campaign, to encourage people who are worried to seek advice and not let those worries build up until they are suffocating.

“You don’t need to go to a CAB to get advice, instead you can check our online advice pages or use our interactive self-help tools.

“Our network gets real results for people – last year people who saw a gain having sought advice were more than £3,700 better off. Our advice is impartial, confidential, and crucially free – we don’t charge for our advice, and we never will.”

Anyone worried about their debt can go to www.cas.org.uk/stressed and pick an advice route that works for them, such as online self-help tools, online advice pages or one-to-one advice from their local CAB.