Kirkcaldy Debt Worries

The average household in the town has just £76 left to put towards debt after covering household bills.

Figures released by StepChange Debt Charity show that 505 people in Kirkcaldy got in touch last year, that's a 32% increase on 2013.

According to the charity, money is typically owed on credit cards, personal loans and overdrafts.

The figures are released as part of the charity's Debt Awareness Week, 7 Days, 7 Ways campaign, which is aimed at helping people to get control of their finances and start tackling their debt problems by taking steps such as creating a comprehensive household budget and opening all correspondence from creditors. A survey commissioned by the charity found that over 1.8 million adults in the Scotland region do not have a household budget.
 
Mike O'Connor, chief executive of StepChange Debt Charity, said: "More and more families in the Kirkcaldy area are falling into debt and struggling to make ends meet. For those living on the edge of their financial means, taking control of the situation can seem a daunting, if not impossible, prospect, but taking positive steps towards tackling debt is crucial to getting back on your feet. We urge those who are worried about their debt problems to seek free confidential advice as soon as possible."