A DEBT charity has called on would-be MPs for Batley and Spen to make promoting debt advice a priority.

National Debtline says it has received nearly 500 calls from people living in the Batley and Spen constituency since 2013.

And in addition to this, its Business Debtline service, which advises the self-employed and other small business owners, received 34 calls for advice from businesses in the constituency last year.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, the charity that runs National Debtline and Business Debtline, said: “Whoever is elected as Member of Parliament for Batley and Spen on May 7 needs to put promoting free debt advice in the area near the top of their to-do list after the General Election.

“While National Debtline has given nearly 500 advice sessions to people in Batley and Spen in the last two years, we know that potentially thousands more are suffering in silence.”

She said MPs were often contacted by constituents about unmanageable debt, including problems with credit cards, personal loans, mortgage debts, payday loans and council tax arrears.