Intimidating debt collectors push Britons to suicide

Irresponsible lending and intimidating debt collectors are pushing thousands of people in Britain into depression and suicide, a report said yesterday and separate data showed more people are taking their own lives.

Many people already struggling with the economic slowdown, wage freezes and benefit cuts were often overwhelmed by tactics used by some money lenders, including persistent phone calls and threatening letters, said the paper.

“Debt clients frequently feel humiliated, disconnected and entrapped, with the process of debt collection having a clear impact on people’s mental health,” the report by researchers from England’s University of Brighton said.