負債-fuelled Britain: Almost a ４半期/4分の1 of people have borrowed to buy food or 支払う／賃金 a 法案 in last three months as 普通の／平均（する） credit balance 攻撃する，衝突するs £900

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増加するing numbers of Britons are relying on unsecured borrowing in a 企て，努力，提案 to keep themselves afloat まっただ中に rising living costs.

Over 12 million people are now borrowing money for food or 必須の 法案s, and half of them are doing so for the first time in their lives, によれば 分析 by The Money and 年金s Service.

It 設立する that almost a ４半期/4分の1 of Britons have relied on credit or money from family and friends to buy food in the last three months, while a 類似の number have done so for electricity and gas.

Around half of them said they'd never had to do this before.

Millions borrowing to 支払う／賃金 for food, 公共事業（料金）／有用性 法案s and rent or mortgage 支払い（額）s, with half of those doing so for the first time, によれば The Money and 年金s Service

>> Find out the best credit cards for （疑いを）晴らすing 負債

Almost one in five said they were relying on borrowing to 会合，会う the cost of their rent or mortgage, healthcare costs like prescriptions and dental 治療 and 支払う／賃金ing off other forms of credit.

Once again 概略で half of the people 調査するd said that they'd never had to do this in the past.

This chimes with separate 研究 by credit 得点する／非難する／２０ app, Credit Karma, which 設立する that two thirds of 世帯s 訴える手段／行楽地d to credit cards, 貸付金s and overdrafts to cover Christmas costs this year.

It said that one in five Britons were 押し進めるd into 負債 for the first time in the last year 予定 to the cost of living 危機 as the nation's 普通の／平均（する） c redit balance 攻撃する，衝突する just over £900.

Over the past 12 months, 概略で a third of Britons said they had to change their lifestyle to make it more affordable, with 概略で a third 説 their 収入s don't go as far as they used to.

The two 熟考する／考慮するs appear to （犯罪の）一味 true with what is 存在 seen across the banking 部門.

Vanquis Bank, which 供給するs credit cards for Britons with a 限られた／立憲的な or uneven credit history, says that 需要・要求する for its services is 殺到するing.

Fiona Anderson, managing director of cards at Vanquis says: 'At Vanquis, we have seen a 重要な 42 per cent 増加する in 年次の credit card enquiries from 2021 to 2022, which 示すs people are borrowing to cover day-to-day living costs.'

One in five Britons were 押し進めるd into 負債 for the first time in the last year 予定 to the cost of living cr isis, によれば Credit Karma, with the nation’s 普通の／平均（する） credit balance above £900

一方／合間, Starling Bank has 設立する that almost 15 per cent of people 老年の under 35 are using credit cards to help them during the cost of living 危機.

Helen Bierton, 長，指導者 banking officer at Starling Bank said: 'Our 研究 設立する that people of all ages are 影響する／感情d by the cost of living 危機, but that younger adults have been hardest 攻撃する，衝突する and are twice as likely to use credit than people 老年の over 55.

'The younger group is also 延期するing life milestones as a result, such as buying a house or starting a family.'

The rising levels of borrowing 同時に起こる／一致する with higher 世帯 expenses for necessities, from groceries to heating and electricity.

One in 20 Britons are now 直面するing unaffordable 返済s, によれば Credit Karma, and this could be 始める，決める to より悪くする with the cost of living still going up across the board, while 利益／興味 率s on credit cards are at a 16 year high.

Akansha Nath, 長，率いる of 共同s at Credit Karma UK, said: 'Borrowing has become a reality for many 世帯s trying to keep up with rising prices over the past year.

'As our 研究 shows, this has been 避けられない even for those who have made a 一致した 成果／努力 to 削減（する） 支援する and 減ずる spending where possible.

'This can be understandably worrying and disheartening, as expenses look 始める，決める to rise その上の in 2023.

'For those looking to borrow, or 直面するd with large 返済s, I'd advise keeping an 注目する，もくろむ for 競争の激しい 率s, only spending what you can afford to 支払う／賃金 off, and 確実にするing your credit 得点する／非難する／２０ is as strong as it can be, which can 最終的に 減ずる the 利益／興味 you 結局最後にはーなる 支払う／賃金ing 支援する.'

>>?Get 負債-解放する／自由な in 2023: Five steps to 支払う／賃金 off what you 借りがある?

What about buy now, 支払う／賃金 later?

The cost-of-living 危機 is also 転換ing shopping habits and encouraging the use of buy now, 支払う／賃金 later (BNPL) 計画／陰謀s.

BNPL 許すs shoppers to spread the cost of 小売 購入（する）s over a number of weeks or months, often with no 付加 利益／興味.

More than 4 million people used BNPL in 2024, によれば the 最新の 熟考する／考慮する by Equifax, one of the UK's big three credit 言及／関連 機関s.

It 設立する that over a third of UK shoppers have now used BNPL services to spread the cost of 購入（する）s, and thousands chose to use BNPL for the first time over the 2022 festive season.

The 研究 also 設立する that one in three Britons have now used BNPL services, up from 26 per cent in November 2021.

This 示唆するs that 概略で 4.1 million people chose to use the 支払い（額） method for the first time in 2022.

On the rise: The 研究 設立する that 34% of Britons have now used BNPL services, up from 26% in November 2021

Jayadeep Nair, 長，指導者 製品 and marketing officer at Equifax UK, said: 'Buy now 支払う／賃金 later has become a 普及（する） part of the shopping experience.

'As with an y form of credit, when shoppers use it responsibly it can be a 広大な／多数の／重要な 予算ing 道具 to help manage extra spending over the festive period.

'As BNPL is a form of credit, it now appears within 消費者 credit 報告（する）／憶測s, which can be 見解（をとる）d by 貸す人s.

This may 衝撃 lending 決定／判定勝ち（する）s, therefore BNPL should be used with this in mind. Shoppers do need to be 用心深い of using BNPL to overstretch themselves 特に if spending is 存在 driven by wider social 圧力s.'

There are also 指示，表示する物s that BNPL is ますます 存在 used for lower value everyday items, which could be a 調印する of irresponsible use.

There are 指示，表示する物s that BNPL is ますます 存在 used for lower-value everyday items, which could be a 調印する of irresponsible use

One in eight BNPL 使用者s have now used it to 支払う／賃金 for a meal or takeaway, and a 類似の number have used it to spread the cost of ever yday items such as groceries or toiletries.

The BNPL 部門 has 招待するd scrutiny from the 財務省 and FCA this year, but Equifax says it has not yet seen 証拠 of a 重要な 増加する in the 普通の／平均（する） 量 borrowed per individual.

Nair 追加するs: There's little in our 研究 to 示唆する that BNPL does more 害（を与える） than good for UK 消費者s, but with more than four million people using it for the first time this year, it's important that new 使用者s are aware of the 危険s of mismanaging their 返済s.'

'Almost half of 使用者s 報告（する）／憶測 行方不明の at least one 支払い（額） in the past, and half of this 全住民 報告（する）／憶測 存在 攻撃する，衝突する with extra 料金s as a result.

'消費者s will find 行方不明になるd BNPL 支払い（額）s appearing in their credit 報告（する）／憶測s next year, so it's 決定的な that anyone using it sees it as the credit 製品 that it is.'

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