For most people the variety of bills and debts that has to go out of their money each month can become very confusing to deal with. Most people have enough to deal with each day without having the constant worry of what is going out of which account and when. This is why so many people end up inadvertently missing payments or making late payments, which can lead to all sorts of problems.

One of the major pitfalls of missed and late repayments is that many companies will then impose a hefty fee on your account, which is money that you are essentially paying out unnecessarily. Another issue with this is that it can impact heavily on your credit rating, which can of course have a serious knock on effect on your ability to get affordable finance and credit in the future.

The debt levels that consumers and households are facing have soared over recent years, with many struggling to find enough cash to keep on top of their debt repayments.

One official said: “It’s worrying to see such a high number of people needing to use so much of their income just to service existing debt.”

With consumers already facing overstretched finances due to their debts the last thing that many can afford is added charges and fees for late and missed payments. Industry expert have said that setting up a direct debit for payments can save consumers time and hassle as well as helping to ensure that payments are never missed or late.

One industry expert said: “Setting up a direct debit helps consumers avoid missing payments and forking out significantly more than expected in interest payments and fees.”