Britons fell further back into debt during the third quarter of 2009, it has been revealed.
According to figures from financial advice website Unbiased.co.uk, savings levels fell by £6 billion during the period to around £13 billion, while debt levels were reduced by only £1 billion.
The study revealed that for every pound saved in the third quarter of 2009, the British public borrowed 32 pence, the highest amount this year.
Karen Barrett, chief executive of the organisation, commented: "After the dramatic retreat from savings in favour of paying off personal debt in the first half of 2008, consumers are now slipping back into old habits, by borrowing around a third of what they save."
Last week, the Homeowners Advice Centre predicted that the number of people seeking debt advice in January and February will rise as borrowers are likely to have over-extended themselves during the Christmas period.
