MORE people in Southampton are having sleepless nights because of money worries.

New figures released by StepChange Debt Charity revealed that there was a dramatic surge in people in the city seeking advice on their finances.

The number of people seeking advice has gone up by a third, as 764 residents in the Southampton area sought debt advice from the charity’s helpline in the first six months of this year.

This compares to 573 in the same period last year.

The survey also revealed that the effect of money-related stress is causing people health problems, with 900,000 in the south-east being kept awake by their financial worries.

Mike O’Connor, chief executive of StepChange Debt Charity, said: “Many people are plagued with severe financial worries that can have a huge impact on their health, relationships and even their ability to simply get a good night’s sleep.

“All too often, people face their debt burden alone, which can worsen the pressure and anxiety they are feeling.

“We would encourage anyone who is struggling with debt to take that first step and seek free, confidential advice from StepChange Debt Charity.”

The average person who contacted the charity had just £8 left at the end of each month, while owing an average of more than £12,000 in unsecured debt.

The Solent Credit Union, which tries to steer people away from loan sharks, has seen a membership increase of 30 per cent in the last year.

Solent Credit Union president John Merritt said: “We have seen an increasing number of people who need a loan to get out of debt problems.

“I think it is down to more people finding it difficult to get by, and a lot of people are getting sanctions from the Job Centre.”