Councils in the UK added £7.8 billion to their growing debt pile in the space of a year, the BBC Shared Data Unit has found. That is up seven per cent from a total of £114.5 billion, the equivalent of £1,677 per resident, a year ago. Furthermore, according to the figures, the total debt per person in St Helens – at the end of quarter four, 2023-24 – totalled £712.48. And the total debt per person – at the end of quarter four, 2024-25 – totalled £712.41. “All councils operate with some level of debt, and are required under the framework to ensure that any debt is affordable, proportionate and sustainable.”