THOUSANDS of people in Winsford may be ‘suffering in silence’ due to financial problems, a national financial advice charity has warned.

National Debtline, the free advice service run by the Money Advice Trust, revealed it received a total of 532 calls for help from people in Eddisbury during 2013 and 2014.

The number of calls from the constituency is slightly higher than the national average.

The Money Advice Trust says higher awareness of free debt advice in and around Eddisbury could ‘mean the difference between financial recovery and financial disaster’ for thousands of people.

Joanna Elson OBE, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, has called on Eddisbury’s prospective parliamentary candidates to make debt advice a ‘priority’ if they are elected as MP after the General Election.

She said: “Whoever is elected as Member of Parliament for Eddisbury on May 7 needs to put promoting free debt advice in the area near the top of their to-do list after the General Election.

“While National Debtline has given more than 500 advice sessions to people in Eddisbury in the last two years, we know that potentially thousands more are suffering in silence.”

Constituents often seek help from their local MPs about unmanageable debt.

These issues can range from problems with credit cards, personal loans, mortgage debts, payday loans, council tax arrears, rent arrears bailiffs and county court judgments (CCJs).

As well as advising constituents to seek advice from charity-run services such as National Debtline, many MPs take a pro-active role in promoting debt advice charities in their communities.

Ms Elson added: “MPs can play a crucial role in the fight against problem debt – not only by directing people who come to them for help to the free advice they need, but also through raising awareness of services such as National Debtline in the local community.

“Our message to anyone in Eddisbury who is struggling to cope with problem debt is simple: seek free advice from a debt charity such as National Debtline as soon as possible.

“The earlier you seek advice, the quicker and easier the problem will be to solve.”

For free financial advice, call National Debtline on 0808 808 4000 or visit nationaldebtline.org