THE traditionally affluent town of Christchurch has seen more than 400 people call a charity for help with their debts since 2013.

The advice service is now challenging the seat’s would-be MPs to make promoting free debt advice a priority.

National Debtline, a free advice service run by the Money Advice Trust, received 422 calls from people in the constituency in two years.

Its Business Debtline service, which advises the self-employed and small business owners, received 19 calls from the constituency last year.

Research suggests only 17 per cent of people with unmanageable debt seek advice, so the charity says the need for help in Christchurch is likely to be far higher than the figures show.

The Money Advice Trust says higher awareness of free debt advice could “mean the difference between financial recovery and financial disaster” for thousands of people.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, said: “Whoever is elected as Member of Parliament for Christchurch on May 7 needs to put promoting free debt advice in the area near the top of their to-do list after the general election.

“While National Debtline has given more than 400 advice sessions to people in Christchurch in the last two years, we know that potentially thousands more are suffering in silence.

“MPs can play a crucial role in the fight against problem debt – not only by directing people who come to them for help to the free advice they need, but also through raising awareness of services such as National Debtline in the local community.

“Our message to anyone in Christchurch who is struggling to cope with problem debt is simple: seek free advice from a debt charity such as National Debtline as soon as possible. The earlier you seek advice, the quicker and easier the problem will be to solve.”

National Debtline is on 0808 808 4000 and at nationaldebtline.org, while Business Debtline is on 0800 197 6026 or at businessdebtline.org