The UK Government should provide a strategy of support for households who have lost income and accumulated debt during the coronavirus pandemic.

Speaking during the Chancellor’s Summer Statement to Parliament, I said “According to StepChange debt charity 4.5 million people have lost income and accumulated £6billion of debt and arrears on household bills during the pandemic. Will the Chancellor ensure that economic recovery plans include also a strategy to support people in unavoidable coronavirus related financial difficulties?”

In response, Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak claimed the government was investing in debt advisory services and taking forward the Breathing Space scheme.

As Step Change have said, more support is still urgently needed to avoid hundreds of thousands of households hitting real hardship and debt.