Citizens Advice says 4 million people spending more on essentials than they earn amid ever-increasing bills
Four million people in England and Wales are in households trapped in a negative budget, meaning that they spend more on essentials than they earn, Citizens Advice has warned.
At a time when bills for food, energy and housing are all increasing, the debt charity said that on top of the millions who are stuck in the red a further 580,000 were at risk of falling into crisis, with just £50 left at the end of the month.
Those who needed to service existing debt were falling further behind, it said, as the cost of essentials outstripped their income.
The figures are based on analysis of spending data from the Office for National Statistics and information collected by the charity from its clients.
