Credit card debt surges by almost £5bn as punishing rates send bills spiralling

Dariusz Karpowicz, Director at Doncaster-based Albion Financial Advice, said: "This rise in debt is starting to impact people's ability to get a mortgage, as higher outstanding balances can negatively affect credit scores and overall affordability assessments.

"We’re seeing more clients struggling to pay down their credit card debt, which complicates their mortgage applications."

He said it is time for the Bank of England to cut the base interest rate and said, in the meantime, borrowers should focus of managing their debit and building a healthy credit score.