Unsecured personal loans and overspending at Christmas mean that the number of debt problems brought to the attention of the Citizens Advice Bureau are on the rise, it has been claimed.

Karen Smith, the new chair of Abingdon and District Citizens Advice Bureau, made her comments to the local Herald newspaper, highlighting a rise in the number of people suffering the effects of problem debt.

"This looks set to rise and it is certainly anticipated to be the advice topic in coming months – even years – taking into consideration the current economic situation," she predicted.

Last year, figures released by the national charity showed that debt now accounts for one in three problems brought to the bureaux, with advisers providing assistance for more than 6,600 debt problems each day.

It warned that rising fuel and living costs are causing hundreds of thousands of people to struggle to meet their day-to-day expenses.