"As more and more Britons struggle with their finances, it is becoming acceptable to say I have a problem with debt,” said Andy Davie, IVA.co.uk spokesman, in a report by Debt Management Today. “Many people are investigating the possible solutions open to them but rely heavily on the advice that they receive."
IVA.co.uk, an online advice network regarding Individual Voluntary Agreements, found that a quarter of the people studied were willing to discuss their debt problems with family members or friends, and that Londoners were the most likely to open up about their difficulties.

The study further showed that women may be marginally more likely to open up about personal debt difficulties and concerns than men are. A total of 28 per cent of the women surveyed said that they had discussed personal debt with family or friends, compared to 25 per cent of the men studied.

The Debt Management Today report said that Andy Davie had also suggested that the stigma normally linked to personal debt may be shifting, thereby encouraging people to engage in discussions about the matter.