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Scotland in the Red report 2022

Our client statistics show what life is like for Scots experiencing problem debt.

Download the report

Scotland in the Red report 2022

Scotland in the Red is our annual publication that explains our key client statistics and looks at what life is like for Scots experiencing problem debt.

We analyse data from every Scottish Constituency and Local Authority to get a picture of how things were for our clients throughout 2022.

 

The challenges for our clients in 2022

Arrears on household bills increased by 68% since 2022

75% of all clients and 85% of vulnerable clients are in arrears with their electricity bills

At 69%, credit cards remain the most common unsecured debt type

Our report makes recommendations for change to support people in or at risk of problem debt:

  • Protecting household incomes and boosting incomes where possible, particularly in ensuring welfare payments keep up with increasing costs
  • Urgent action to prevent just coping households falling deeper into difficulty such as support with spiralling energy costs
  • Extra targeted help to vulnerable households who face higher financial barriers
  • Support for advice agencies and clients to allow individuals to escape financial difficulty when they fall into it and prevents them entering a long-term cycle of distress
  • Fairer enforcement action, particularly on energy bills, that avoids throwing a household deeper into crisis
Download the report


Want more information?

Email us to discuss our 2022 personal debt statistics and other debt research across the UK.

policy@stepchange.org