Cash-strapped households are taking on debt at the fastest pace in 33 years

See more Daily Mail on Google - save us as a Preferred Source Published: 18:03 EDT, 29 September 2026 | Updated: 18:03 EDT, 29 September 2026 Cash-strapped households are taking on debt at the fastest pace in more than three decades as they turn to credit cards and unsecured loans to make ends meet.Bank of England figures showed consumer borrowing jumped by £2.46billion last month - the biggest increase on records going back to 1993.The sum includes car finance and personal loans as well as credit card lending, which went up by £1.18billion - the fastest pace since 2004.It suggests that consumers are ramping up borrowing to fuel spending as the surge in energy bills and fuel prices leaves them with less spare cash at the end of the month.And the figures underline the challenge that is facing Prime Minister Andy Burnham as he seeks to tackle the increase in the cost of living.A separate survey showed just 35 per cent of workers can afford savings, holidays and other extras after paying for bills and essentials, down from 45 per cent a year ago.The poll from accountants PwC also revealed 59 per cent were feeling under strain in their jobs as a result of the costs squeeze - as they faced increased stress levels, working longer hours or wanting to change jobs as a result.It found workers were also worried about the impact of economic volatility and the rise of AI on their jobs. Cash-strapped households are taking on debt at the fastest pace in more than three decades as they turn to credit cards and unsecured loans to make ends meet (file image)Matt Swannell, chief economic adviser to forecaster ITEM Club, said the Bank of England data represented 'tentative evidence that people are using credit to lean against the squeeze on household spending power'.And Rob Wood, chief UK economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics, a consultancy, said a rise in household borrowing as well as lower saving was helping them 'smooth through' the drag on their finances caused by higher energy bills.Katie Clinton, financial services adviser at accountants KPMG UK, suggested the rise in consumer borrowing may on the other hand reflect optimism about improvement in personal finances and economic conditions to come.'However, with persistently high inflation squeezing disposable incomes, stronger borrowing may also reflect continued affordability challenges pushing people to credit to get by,' she added.Mr Burnham has pledged to give 'breathing space' to households with policies such as removing VAT on energy bills and cheaper bus fares.But the policies have been dwarfed by the impact of Donald Trump's Iran war, which has choked off oil and gas supplies from the Middle East, driving up prices and feeding global inflation.Motorists are already paying record prices for diesel while energy prices will on Thursday climb to a three-year high with the introduction of a new price cap.Bills are widely expected to soar again in January when the next cap comes into effect - with the Bank of England predicting a 24 per cent rise. Meanwhile, drought-hit harvests and the El Nino global weather phenomenon are expected to result in higher food prices.By the start of next year, overall inflation is expected to top 4 per cent - twice the Bank of England's 2 per cent target.And that is expected to mean increasing pain for borrowers, with markets predicting that the Bank will raise interest rates four times by the end of next year as it battles to subdue inflation.