Coronavirus is putting millions of Europeans on the path to a debt crisis

Pedestrians stand in line to collect food parcels from the food bank run by Dads House charity in London. Picture: Bloomberg

More economic upheaval is on the horizon in Europe as plans to end the unprecedented support for workers during the coronavirus pandemic threaten to tip millions of households into a debt trap.

Organisations that help individuals sort out their financial problems are warning of a sharp increase in the number of families burdened by bills they can’t pay. Even in savings-rich nations such as Germany and Austria, citizens are starting to worry.