The previous availability of easy money and credit has contributed to the market issues the British economy faces today, the Conservatives have claimed.

Leader of the opposition David Cameron also warned that there has been a steep rise in the cost of living, leaving some Britons struggling to cope.

The last ten years have seen the liabilities of homes, firms and financial institutions rise and debt levels have increased "unsustainably", he continued.

"As the tide of debt-fuelled growth recedes, we are now seeing the rocks exposed: the rocks of an economy that is in no fit state for the twenty-first century," Mr Cameron added.

Borrowing advice charity Credit Action reports that at the end of January, total personal debt in this country stood at £1,412 billion – an increase of £113 billion on the previous year.

It notes that the average amount owed, including mortgages, by every British adult is £29,747.