the Number of indebted pensioners has increased sharply since 2010. At the end of the year had over 40, 000 pensioners liabilities of the tax collector, and together, they were guilty of over sek 18 billion, according to a new analysis.
– A major contributing factor to the increase is that a great many people have been indebted for a long time, long before the age of 65. They often have a skuldbagage from the financial crisis in the beginning of the 90s, says Johan Krantz to the TT.
a disturbing trend where more and more people over the age of 80 receive their first debt. Persons in the age group of belonging to a special risk group who often lack support from the environment, ” says Johan Krantz.
It often begins with less debt, like an unpaid tv fee, it is not at all unusual that dementia causes you to forget the bills. Already have a low pension and are living on the margin, a few forgotten bills do that, quite suddenly, a large liabilities.
there is help to get, but it is based on you yourself take the initiative to apply for help.
” I know that in some municipalities have tried to work more proactively and make contact with people who have debts with us, but in many cases it is difficult to reach.
r with liabilities, which constitutes 3.5 per cent of the population. In the municipality you can clearly see the trend that older people have old debts.
– some have lived so long with the debts that they have become accustomed to having it so. It can even be left over from the 70’s when they bought the house, ” says the municipality’s budget – and skuldrådgivare Lennart Boss to the TT.
He estimates that almost 80 per cent of them would be able to get a debt settlement if they applied for it but think that many older people feel ashamed of their situation and shy away from seeking help.
” The older I’ve met feel very great shame, they have a hard time at all to come here and talk about that they have failed, which many people feel that they have done. Younger people often find it easier to seek help.
with all the means to reach out to the residents in his municipality to receive up your eyes to the municipality offer assistance and support.
– A very large part of the debt do not know that local authorities offer debt advice service. I visit pensionärsföreningen, advertise, and write in the local newspaper and trying to prove that I exist, ” he says.