Question to the HM Treasury:

To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer, what assessment she has made of trends in the level of personal debt among financially vulnerable households in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency.

The Government regularly engages with the Bank of England, the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), and the Money and Pensions Service (MaPS) to monitor personal finances and debt levels.

Household debt levels have been falling since the beginning of 2022, with the household debt-to-income ratio in 2025 at its lowest level since 2002. The Financial Policy Committee at the Bank of England expects households to remain resilient in aggregate. However, the Government also recognises that some households face difficulties managing debt.

The Government is committed to ensuring that those in problem debt can access the specialist support they need to get their finances back on track. That is why we fund free, impartial debt advice services through MaPS to meet the needs and concerns of individuals in debt, including national and community-based services offering free-to-client debt advice. MaPS regularly measures the need for debt advice in the UK. Its 2025 MoneyView Report notes that c.12% of adults in South Basildon and East Thurrock constituency need debt advice (compared to 14% of all UK adults).