BURNLEY is amongst the top five North-West Parliamentary constituencies in the North West for individuals people going bust according to official figures.

They show that 275 people became insolvent in the Burnley constituency in 2018 - a rate of 40.4 per 10,000 population up from 31.4 the previous year.

Four other East Lancs constituencies - Blackburn, Hyndburn, Rossendale and Darwen and Pendle - all have an insolvency rate above the average rate of 25.0 for England and Wales.

In Hyndburn 33.7 people per 10,000 became insolvent in 2018 up from 28.6 in 2017.

In Rossendale and Darwen the 2108 figure was 28.5 per 10,000 up from 27.6 the year before.

The Pendle figures were 28.3 in 2018 and 25.9 in 2017 while in Blackburn they were 26.4 per 10,000 last year and 24.4 the year before.

In Ribble Valley 19.3 per 10,000 population became insolvent in 2018 and 17.1 in 2017.

Paul Barber, a Lancashire debt expert who is also North-West chair of the insolvency trade body R3, says the figures reflect the growing pressures facing people’s personal finances and the continuing North/South divide.

Paul says: “Personal insolvency rates have been rising for three years in a row and are now at their highest since 2011. Northern regions continue to be amongst the worst affected.

“Debt problems can place a severe strain on people’s mental health and the welfare of their families."

The figures from the Insolvency Service cover personal bankruptcies, Individual Voluntary Arrangements, and Debt Relief Orders.