Only 1 in 4 calls answered on National Debtline - Lamb

6.24.06pm GMT Wed 1st Feb 2006

A Parliamentary Answer to Liberal Democrat Shadow Trade and Industry Secretary, Norman Lamb MP, shows that over the last two years only 26% of calls to the National Debtline were answered first time by an adviser and that only 76% of people who originally called the helpline manage to obtain advice from the Debtline. Last November figures from the DTI showed a rise in individual insolvencies from 12,032 in Q3 2004 to 17,562 in Q3 2005.

Commenting, Mr Lamb said "There is no doubt that the National Debtline, and other debt advisory lines offer great support to those who are struggling to cope with mounting debt issues.

"However whilst there are signs of some recent improvement, what these figures clearly illustrate is how few people manage to get advice quickly. It is vital that debt advice is made more readily available to all if we are to avoid the level of personal debts continuing to spiral out of control"