A FREE guide is available to help the growing number of people in debt in Redcar and Cleveland.

The booklet has been produced by the local authority's Money Advice Service.

It helps to explain people's financial situations and offers tips on how to control spending and budget properly.

Last year the service, based in Kirkleatham Street, Redcar, dealt with £1.1m of client debt, with the average client owing about £10,000.

Data from the service shows that 36 per cent of its clients are unemployed, with 29 per cent in employment.

The main reasons people give for debt are sickness, unemployment, low income, over-commitment and relationship breakdown.

The booklet, called A Self-help Guide to Managing your Debts and Controlling your Spending, is available from the service's base, in libraries and accessible through the council's website.

Money advice officer Elizabeth Iveson said: "As well as assisting people already in debt, we hope consumers will also use these guides to manage their finances and not to get into financial difficulties in the first place."

The booklet contains a list of Do's and Don'ts to help guide people through their financial problems.

It recommends that people find out whether they are claiming all the money they are entitled to and urges them not to ignore a growing debt.

The leaflet also takes the reader through a simple process aimed at clarifying their financial situation and explaining what to do to ease any problems.

Principal trading standards officer Howard Turton said: "The booklet is a way of ascertaining what your income is and what your outgoings are. It goes through your financial situation and shows what you have left and how to prioritise your payments.

"People have the misconception that most people in debt are unemployed or on low incomes but the problem covers everyone."

Specimen letters to creditors and a pro-forma financial statement are also provided for guidance and copying.

To contact the Money Advice Service for advice or information, call (01642) 444284.