Over half of all British adults got into debt in 2020, study shows

Norwich, London and Manchester were the three cities that were most affected financially during the pandemic, writes Isobel Frodsham

Millions of Britons were put on furlough this year, causing them to fall behind on their bills (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

More than half of Britons got into debt this year – with a quarter saying the pandemic was the reason their finances are now in the red.

New research revealed that 51 per cent of adults in the UK got into debt in 2020 and 25.5 per cent of the debt was directly caused by the pandemic.

While 2020 saw Britain enter into a recession, it also saw millions of people placed on furlough – a scheme where people were put on paid leave and received 80 per cent of their salary instead of the full amount – and dozens of high-street stores closing their doors for good.