According to a debt charity, banks are taking money from their customers’ current accounts; without their consent and using them to pay for the credit card and loan debts.

This is leaving them unable to finance for other repayments such as their mortgages. Citizens Advice, is calling for banks to stop this practice, which allows them to transfer funds without the account holders permission.

The charity states that there has been a 25 per cent increase in the number of cases, over the past two months.

The British Bankers' Association says the onus is on customers to talk to their banks if they are in difficulty. In most cases, companies can only force someone to pay a debt by taking them to court.

According to the BBC Radio 4 programme Money Box, the Right of Set Off, allows banks to legally transfer money, so that credit card and loan debts can be paid, without the account holders permission.

Citizens Advice says there have been cases of people having benefit payments removed from accounts, leaving them unable to meet "priority debts" like mortgages and council tax.

British Bankers' Association added that cases where money has been removed "inappropriately" are regrettable but that banks take their responsibilities under the banking code seriously.