Surge in families turning to money lenders

THOUSANDS of hard-pressed families are being fleeced by licensed money lenders because they cannot afford to pay for basic items such as food and utility bills.

The country’s largest licensed home collection money lender has acquired an additional 13,000 customers in just over a year, new figures have revealed.

Last summer, an Irish Examiner investigation on money lending found at least 150,000 people are borrowing from licensed money lenders.