Around two-fifths of people using private weight-loss jabs say the cost has put them in debt, a survey found.
The average amount owed by the 39 per cent in the red was £1,616, with some turning to credit cards and overdrafts to help cover the cost.
Savings are also being raided, with 49 per cent of people admitting using theirs to pay for the jabs, and 17 per cent having dipped into money put aside for emergencies.
Nearly one in ten (8 per cent) said they would miss a scheduled payment to pay for a jab, while 6 per cent said they had already missed or delayed one.
The 1,040 people polled said they are spending £210 a month on average on jabs.
Around a fifth (21%) said that if their costs were to increase, they would have to stop using the injections.
Around two-fifths of people using private weight-loss jabs say the cost has put them in debt, a survey found (file pic)
| Location | Average debt owed | % of those in debt |
|---|---|---|
| Scotland | £1,799.06 | 39.5% |
| North West | £1,861.74 | 33.1% |
| North East | £1,396.19 | 50.0% |
| Yorkshire and the Humber | £1,901.07 | 42.3% |
| Wales | £1,466.05 | 44.9% |
| West Midlands | £1,326.34 | 38.3% |
| East Midlands | £1,365.47 | 45.8% |
| South West | £1,758.79 | 36.9% |
| South East | £1,501.95 | 36.8% |
| East of England | £2,463.41 | 42.2% |
| London | £1,386.74 | 37.6% |
Vix Leyton, a consumer expert at thinkmoney, said: ‘For people who have spent years trying every diet and programme going, the fear of regaining weight is a real spectre.’
She added: ‘If people are forced to stop because they can no longer afford it, there can be physical and emotional consequences.
‘That makes it even more important that anyone starting these jabs thinks about whether they can afford the journey, not just the first few months.’
