HALF of people in south east including Hampshire are concerned about their current debt while more than a quarter have no savings according to a survey.

The research by insolvency trade body R3 reveals an insight into the health of people’s finances in the south east.

The statistics look at residents’ day-to-day dealings with debt, as well as their attitudes towards the future, and reveal a mixed picture.

Experts from the Southern Committee of R3, which brings together practitioners from local accountancy, legal and recovery firms, say that household costs are among the biggest reasons for worry.

Andrew Watling, Chairman of the Southern Committee of R3, Andrew Watling, said: “While we’re seeing the highest number of people in the South East who are worried about their debt for sometime, these figures don’t necessarily reveal a negative picture.

"It’s reassuring to see such a high number of people say they won’t seek out payday loans, or other short term, high interest loans as these can quickly create a debt that’s difficult to control."