A recent survey has shown that there are worrying trends when it comes to personal debt amongst consumers in the UK. The survey was commissioned by Scottish Provident, and seemed to indicate that consumers have a surprisingly high threshold when it comes to how much debt they will build up before they start to get worried about their debt levels.

The study results showed that it takes nearly £16,000 worth of debt for the average Brit to start worrying about their debt levels. Scottish Provident said that the results of the study are worrying because they indicate that consumers till have a fairly lax attitude when it comes to their debts, despite the difficult financial climate and the continued fragile economy, not to mention concerns about jobs.

For the average Brit the amount that they would have to have in personal debt would be £15,837 before they started to worry about their debt levels. However, for younger people this figure was even higher, coming in at £16,646. The total amount owed in personal unsecured debt on 5^th January 2011, according to figures from the Bank of England, came in at £215,834,000.

An official from Scottish Provident said: “With the UK’s national debt figure dominating the headlines, it appears this could have had an adverse affect on how the nation views their own personal finances. To not believe they would be in serious financial difficulty before they reached debt levels of over £15,837 is a worry, and it underlines how debt has become too readily accepted in the UK. What starts out as a small level of personal debt can quickly spiral out of control, so Britons should ensure they keep on top of their personal spending.”