Money Advice Trust (MAT) and Experian research suggested 50% of its client base fell into a few categories: people with family concerns, transient renters and aspiring homemakers among others.
National Debtline gave free advice to 287,919 people in 2014, with its sister service Business Debtline providing advice sessions to 42,352 small business owners.
Just 17% of over-indebted people actually sought advice, MAT research showed.
Joanna Elson OBE, chief executive of the MAT, said: “After nearly 25 years of helping people to tackle their debts and manage money wisely we have accumulated a wealth of knowledge that our advisers put into practice to help thousands of people every day.
“However, the debt advice landscape is in constant flux and we are always further developing our knowledge of how we can best serve those in financial difficulty. In particular, as our recent Changing Household Budgets research showed, we are increasingly helping people who have fallen behind with everyday household bills and who are struggling to repay smaller debts. This and other consequences of the recession mean the demographics of those in difficulty are changing significantly.”
Chris Clark, managing director, Experian UK and Ireland said: “We’re delighted to continue our support for Money Advice Trust and the people who rely on its vital services. It is absolutely critical we make sure there’s a robust safety net for anyone who falls into financial difficulties often due to an unplanned life event such as redundancy or relationship breakdown so they can quickly and easily get a helping hand.”
