For single mum-of-four Abi, the debts she has built up by using buy now, pay later (BNPL) services have left her trapped in a “vicious circle”.
Abi, from Sheffield, is one of a number of people who spoke to the BBC about the money they owe after using BNPL to purchase basic goods, including groceries and school uniforms.
Five leading debt support organisations say they are seeing a rise in the number of families needing help with the type of debt racked up through apps such as Klarna, Zilch and Clearpay.
About 1.6m people in the UK used these methods to spread the cost of their household bills this summer, according to research by debt charity Stepchange.
Buy now, pay later services say their products have…