People have more debt than ever before and millions are struggling to cope, despite free, expert help being readily available.

The latest figures from The Money Charity show that the UK’s total personal debt has risen to almost £1.5 trillion, a rise of over £50 billion in a year.

The average owed by each adult is now more than £29,600. Around £2,400 of that is on credit cards, which, at typical rates of interest, would take 25 years to clear if only the minimum payment was made each month.

For many, the burden is becoming too much to bear. According to the Debt Advisory Centre, nine million adults think they owe too much and 6.5 million worry about it all or most of the time. Because of this, the majority say that their sleep, mental well-being and ability to enjoy life are suffering.

Centre spokeswoman Melanie Taylor said: “Debt isn’t just a financial crisis – it impacts almost every part of people’s lives, from their health to their relationships.”

Often the problem is exacerbated by not being able to rely on fixed monthly earnings. Around 11 million people – including a quarter of Scottish adults – have a fluctuating income, either because they are on zero hours or variable contracts, do uncertain amounts of overtime or work for themselves.

More than 4.5 million say this makes it difficult to keep up with essential bills, let alone make monthly card or loan repayments. As a result, 3.5 million have been on the receiving end of a county court judgement (CCJ) or court decree for unpaid debts in the past five years.

Ms Taylor said: “A CCJ or decree is going to make it harder and more expensive to borrow money for at least the six years that it remains on your credit history, and it opens the way for lenders to take more aggressive action to recover what you owe – such as applying to deduct repayments directly from your wages.”

To avoid getting into this situation, it is essential to act as soon as you start to feel things are getting out of hand. If you have card debt and pay only the monthly minimum, or miss payments, the interest and penalty charges can soon spiral out of control.

Matt Sanders, head of money at website Gocompare.com, advised: “If you can, pay more than the minimum repayment each month. If you have more than one card, always pay off the most expensive first. Another option is to switch your debt to a card with an extended interest-free period on balance transfers.

“These usually carry a small transfer fee, typically around three per cent, but are still worth considering if you can benefit from zero per cent on your balance for, potentially, a couple of years. There are also a wide range of fee-free balance transfer cards.”

Whatever your debt, look into moving it to a cheaper form of borrowing and aim to clear it as quickly as possible – but check you won’t be penalised with early repayment fees.

To help you find additional cash for repayments, analyse your household spending. If you don’t already have a weekly or monthly budget, draw one up, prioritising essential bills and food.

SunLife’s latest Cash Happy report reveals that people are often reluctant to make changes to the way they spend, but when they do, it can transform their lives.

Ian Atkinson, the insurer’s head of brand, said: “While we would rather cut back on savings than technology or our morning coffee, saving actually makes us happier and gives us long-term financial security.

“The study also shows that just eight per cent would cut back on snacks and just six per cent would cut back on cigarettes, but cutting these types of luxuries can save a pretty packet. For example, if you cut back on having a takeaway coffee before work, you’d save around £50 a month, and over ten years, that’s £5,720.”

One of the most cost-effective ways to borrow and save is with a credit union. These financial co-operatives offer competitively priced savings accounts and low-cost loans. There are around 350 across the UK with more than 1.2 million members. To find your nearest union, go to findyourcreditunion.co.uk or scottishcu.org.

If you are still struggling after reorganising your debt and trying to increase the repayments, don’t be afraid to ask for help – talking things through helps practically and emotionally.

Ms Taylor said: “In the vast majority of cases, it is possible to avoid getting a CCJ or decree, either by speaking directly to the lender or creditor and arranging a new payment schedule, or by working with a debt advisor to put a solution in place.”

Beware of professional debt management firms, though, as they exist solely to make a profit. If you don’t feel confident about approaching lenders yourself, there are many sources of free, impartial assistance.

Citizens Advice Scotland helps more than 300,000 people a year solve their money problems while the Government-backed Money Advice Service also provides impartial support.

Other options are debt charity StepChange, the National Debtline and the Debt Advice Foundation.