Debt: credit card customers `receive £8.8bn unrequested credit`

As the Government revealed new measures to help people facing debt problems, including banning credit card cheques, price comparison site uSwitch.com has claimed that 5.7 million people have had their credit card limit raised without their consent in the last 12 months.

uSwitch.com said that the average increase received was £1,538, raising the average credit limit to £6,667.

Despite this, almost a third of the 4 million people who applied for an increase in their credit limit had their request turned down.

A spokesperson for debt management company Gregory Pennington said: "One important part of staying out of debt is avoiding temptation. Borrowers can take their own steps to do this, such as requesting a lower credit limit or cancelling forms of credit that they don`t need."

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Gregory Pennington offer debt management plans as well as a range of other debt solutions. If you are worried about debt, contact one of our expert debt advisers now.