A jobless woman was able to borrow £70,000 in just two years - even though a serious illness kept her out of work, it has been revealed.

The Basildon woman, who has not been named, had no regular income apart from benefits.

Debt experts have claimed she is a typical example of people who have been caught out by the boom in easy credit.

She turned to the Citizens' Advice Bureau (CAB) for help and today the Basildon bureau revealed how thousands of people have been allowed to build up massive debts that bear little relation to their incomes.

The bureau said that some are even having to cut back on food shopping to pay off creditors.

Talking about the woman, Irene Rose, manager of the Basildon CAB, said: "The bureau were concerned that the credit card companies had not checked her lack of income and other credit commitments when allowing her further credit."

Basildon CAB received 7,000 consumer debt-related inquiries last year and advisors believe credit card debt has replaced housing debt as the biggest source of financial misery.

Mrs Rose said: "Credit is very easily available and to people without references who are not able to pay."

Anyone struggling with debt and needing help can contact Basildon CAB in the Basildon Centre between 9.30am to 12.30pm Monday to Friday or 10am to 12pm on Saturday.

Published Thursday, May 22, 2003

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