The country's main household debt advisory organisation is warning that utility bills and PCP car finance loans are "the hidden household debt crisis" in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdowns. Many thousands of households have missed their payments on electricity and gas bills during the Covid crisis. Utility debt has always been an issue especially for lower-paid households which is why debt relief notices under the personal insolvency legislation includes utility and rent arears, he said. Flac is preparing to publish a range of papers on household debts accumulated during the Covid crisis. Mr Joyce said that the mortgage debt will also be under the spotlight after the ending of payment breaks last year "because it has been a very long lockdown".

Source: Irish Examiner June 03, 2021 18:16 UTC