A CHARITY'S campaign to help families in debt is being backed by Dudley North MP Ian Austin.

The Children's Society recently released a report, detailing the impact debt has on families.

It found that personal debt has risen steadily for years and for some families – particularly those on low incomes - debt repayments and creditor demands can spiral into unmanageable situations.

The charity states that debt has a negative effect on a child’s mental and physical health as it can undermine their relationships with their peers, spoil their school experiences and cause long term harm to a child’s life.

To tackle this, the charity is proposing a new 'breathing space' scheme to offer interest-free mortgage loans so people can get back on top of their finances.

Mr Austin has shown his support for the campaign by writing a letter to the Work and Pensions Minister, Damian Green, asking the Government to support the scheme and help vulnerable people and working families with problem debt.

It is a subject close to the Labour MP's heart as he spent years advocating for the protection of working families from mounting debts, fighting loan sharks and supporting the Castle & Crystal Credit Union in Dudley, which offer affordable loans to borough residents.

He said: “Money is still tight for a lot of families in Dudley, with some falling into spiralling debts that they struggle to keep up with.

“This report from the Children’s Society sets out a common-sense policy to give families some breathing space, and I want the Government to consider it.

“I’ll also keep working to drive payday lenders out of our town and promote responsible lenders like the Castle & Crystal credit union here in Dudley.”