THE number of people with debt problems who contacted the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (Mabs) helpline in the first 10 months of this year was almost double the number who called the service in the whole of 2008, new figures reveal.

State-supported Mabs said people who are becoming financially crippled because of complex debt situations are increasingly suffering from mental health problems.

Figures released by the Department of Social and Family Affairs last week show that, up to the end of October, some 20,800 people who are having difficulty repaying their debts have contacted the helpline since the beginning of this year. In addition, at the end of October, some 16,300 clients were seen by Mabs staff.

In 2008, just 11,000 people contacted the helpline for assistance and over 16,600 clients approached staff at Mabs offices for advice with debt problems.

The figures were included in a reply to a parliamentary question by Sinn Féin TD Arthur Morgan.

In a written response, social and family affairs minister Mary Hanafin said: Mabs is now dealing with "complex debt situations in respect of clients who are presenting with multiple creditors/ debts".

Michael Culloty, spokes­man for Mabs, said staff were increasingly being app­roached by people who were suffering from mental health problems as a result of their mounting debts.

"We would have concerns with regard to people's mental health and how they are handling their indebtedness. From that point of view money advisers are seeing more people in distress."