Self-employed calls to debtline surge

The UK's leading debt charity, the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS), said the self-employed are facing problems in higher numbers as calls surged to its free debt helpline last month.

The helpline received 739 calls from those running their own businesses in January 2010, a 78 per cent increase from December 2009, when only 415 self employed people called the helpline.

Laura Carver, CCCS helpline manager, said: "We have received thousands of calls from self employed and sole traders over the past year and heard a lot of stories of people struggling to manage their personal debts while running a business.

"But this spike shows that there is a growing and serious debt problem among self employed people."

CCCS has a free phone helpline for self employed (0800 975 9559), which is open 8am to 8pm, Monday to Friday.

The CCCS helpline received 6,596 calls from people who were self employed between February 1 2009 and January 31 2010.