Record numbers of young people seeking help for debt, according to Staffordshire charity.

Citizens Advice in Staffordshire says more and more under 25s are being pushed into the red as a result of the cost of living crisis.

New research shows 90% of under 25s feel uncomfortable discussing finances
Author: Victoria GloverPublished 14th Feb 2024

The number of young people needing help with managing money has doubled in the last five years, according to Citizen's Advice in Staffordshire.

The charity, which supported 66,000 under 25s across the UK last year, says 20% of young adults seeking its advice needed help with debt.

Citizens Advice is warning that a 'triple whammy' of soaring living costs, rising private rents and high inflation is pushing record numbers of young people into the red.

Simon Hall is the charity's CEO in Staffordshire and believes there should be more focus on money management lessons on the school curriculum: "For a lot of people, money isn't discussed at home. It's not an issue that crops up in conversation but it should be, and it is something that I think should come up more in schools as well, because that is a good and a fairly neutral venue for discussing issues that can be tricky.

"One of the things we're seeing increasingly is people who've come through school and college and they've not been given a great deal of training, help or support in learning how to manage money. They set up on their own and suddenly they have to manage bills and budgets. It's difficult, especially if your income is limited, as it often is when you're starting out.

"Financial education should have been in the curriculum for a number of years, Martin Lewis did a lot of work to promote this, but I don't think it's given the level of priority or resource that it probably should be. The problem is, it gets squeezed out by other subjects, which is unfortunate. But it is something that I think is increasingly important, particularly at a time like this when people are coming under increasing financial pressures.

"If anyone is struggling, please do pick up the phone or go online to our web chat facility. There are plenty of ways of accessing the service. It's far better to seek the help sooner rather than later."

In the Citizens Advice study, embarrassment was listed as the top reason why young adults feel uncomfortable discussing money, followed by the fear of comparison.

To support young people to feel more comfortable discussing finances, Citizens Advice has created an expert guide here.