The burgeoning debt levels in UK society are a frequent topic of debate in the media, and with good reason: in August 2007, the debt charity Credit Action estimated that total UK personal debt stood at ?1,345 billion - a 10.2 per cent increase on the previous twelve months. Additionally, average consumer borrowing on credit cards, motor and retail finance deals, overdrafts and unsecured personal loans had risen to a staggering ?4,550 per UK adult in June 2007. But what exactly can be done to curb this growing problem of debt in Britain?

One of the most recent solutions that has been proposed to reduce the blight of debt on UK adults, is the possibility of increasing the minimum age at which people can apply for a credit card to be raised to 21. Debtmatters, a UK debt management specialist, has warned that young people are not taking the steps necessary to make sure that they can actually afford to pay for the goods they are buying on credit.

Michael Shirley, a spokesman for Debtmatters, commented:

"We are living in a buy now, pay later culture... [and] many people consider being in debt to be perfectly normal and nothing to worry about... Raising the legal age at which people have access to credit cards would provide a solution and would buy valuable time in which to agree a sustainable long-term solution."

According to the company, raising the age limit at which you're allowed to means that younger spenders will be forced to think about their financial options before plunging themselves into spiralling debt. Reckless spending and high repayment rates on borrowing early on in your financial life could lead to bad credit ratings and possibly even bankruptcy in later years.

However, with the introduction of top up fees in English universities in 2006 and the increasing cost of living across Britain, it appears that many students are now relying on credit cards to get them through higher education. A recent survey conducted by market analysts Mintel found that 18-34-year olds were more likely to have unsecured debt than any other age group, with 60 per cent owing money on credit cards, loans and overdrafts. Although a vast proportion of this debt is likely to be due to careless borrowing without the means to pay, it's also likely that just as many of these consumers are having to borrow out of necessity.

Nevertheless, Debtmatters claims that the long-term solution to the UK's credit card debt is likely to entail new financial management classes taught at educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities. These classes would aim to educate the younger generations on the importance of financial planning and the dangers of excessive and irresponsible borrowing. As a result, they're likely to have a positive effect on the way younger borrowers decide to flex their plastic, regardless of whether the legal age to apply for a credit card is raised or not.