Key Takeaways
There’s a common assumption that having a job means financial security. A steady salary, a predictable income, a degree of breathing room. However, our latest internal data highlights growing financial pressure among workers.
- Publishing ranks as the industry most reliant on credit, with workers applying to borrow 82% of their monthly income on average, closely followed by advertising and media at 80%.
- Sectors such as cleaning services (64%), manufacturing (60%), and hotels and restaurants (57%) show consistently high demand, with workers applying for more than half of their monthly income in credit.
- Financial pressure spans both lower and higher-income roles, with legal services (53%), health (53%) and computer services (47%) highlighting widespread reliance on credit across professions.
- From retail (51%) to mining and quarrying (50%), the data shows that applications for credit are a broad-based trend, indicating that for many UK workers, credit is becoming essential to cover everyday costs.
Our analysis of loan application data between March 2025 and March 2026 reveals that workers across the UK are increasingly applying for credit, not for luxuries, but to manage everyday costs.
On average, Brits are now applying to borrow the equivalent of 45% of their salary, nearly half their income, underscoring just how stretched household finances have become. In some industries, workers are now applying to borrow amounts that approach their monthly income.
It raises a pressing question: in a sustained cost-of-living crisis, is a regular salary still enough?
The industries applying to borrow the highest percentage of their salary
| Industry | Average of % of Income Applied to Borrow (Monthly) |
|---|---|
| Publishing | 82% |
| Advertising/Media | 80% |
| Cleaning Services | 64% |
| Manufacturing | 60% |
| Hotels/Restaurants | 57% |
| Legal Services | 53% |
| Health | 53% |
| Retail | 51% |
| Mining/Quarrying | 50% |
| Computer Services | 47% |
The data shows that workers in publishing are applying to borrow the most relative to their earnings, seeking credit equivalent to 82% of their monthly income on average. That means many are seeking to borrow sums that represent the majority of what they bring home in a typical month. This creates a situation that, without careful management, can quickly become difficult to navigate.
Workers in advertising and media follow closely, applying to borrow 80% of their monthly income, while those in cleaning services (64%) and manufacturing (60%) are also seeking substantial levels of credit relative to their earnings. In hotels and restaurants, applications stand at 57% of monthly income, while both legal services and health workers (53%) highlight that financial pressure extends beyond traditionally lower-paid roles. Retail workers are applying to borrow 51%, mining and quarrying 50%, and computer services 47%, showing that reliance on credit cuts across both manual and professional sectors.
What’s striking about these figures isn’t just the scale, it’s the breadth. This isn’t a story about one struggling profession or a single low-paid sector. It spans across industries at every level, from creative agencies to hospitals, and retail floors to professional services.
Why Is This Happening?
The cost-of-living crisis has been widely reported, but its effects on working households are still unfolding. Housing costs have risen sharply compared with previous years, energy bills remain high, and the price of everyday essentials, from food to transport, has not fallen meaningfully for most people. Wages, meanwhile, have not kept pace with those sustained increases for a significant portion of the workforce.
The result is a growing gap between what people earn and what they need to spend. That gap is one of the defining features of in-work poverty: households in employment, but still unable to comfortably meet essential costs without borrowing. For many workers, credit is quietly filling that gap. Not as a considered financial decision, but as a necessity. When borrowing becomes routine rather than occasional, it’s a sign that something more fundamental is wrong with the affordability picture.
The long-term risk
Used responsibly and sparingly, credit can be a genuinely useful financial tool. It can bridge a gap between paydays, cover an unexpected bill, or manage a short-term cash flow issue. That’s exactly what it’s designed for.
The concern arises when borrowing becomes a structural part of household finances rather than an occasional buffer. When workers routinely seek to borrow a high percentage of their monthly income, particularly when the amounts they apply for approach what they earn in a month, they become increasingly exposed to risk. A rise in interest rates, a period of reduced hours, or an unexpected expense can tip a manageable situation into a genuinely difficult one very quickly.
The data doesn’t suggest that workers are being reckless; it suggests they are doing what they need to do to get by. But the cumulative effect of sustained borrowing at these levels is worth taking seriously.
What this means for borrowers
If you’re one of the many workers relying on credit to supplement your income, it’s worth taking a step back to consider the long-term effects. Understanding exactly how much you’re borrowing relative to your income, and whether it’s increasing month on month, is a useful starting point.
There are also practical steps that can help. Budgeting tools, financial wellbeing resources through employers, and speaking with a free debt advice service can all provide clarity and support. Credit, when it is affordable and well-managed, doesn’t have to be a source of stress. But when it begins to feel like the only thing keeping you afloat, that’s the moment to seek guidance.
A broader challenge that requires a broader response
The findings from our data are a reflection of a wider affordability challenge that no single lender, employer, or individual can solve alone. Responsible lending practices matter enormously, ensuring that credit is offered only where it is genuinely affordable, with clear terms and fair rates. But so does the broader policy environment: wages, housing costs, and the price of essentials all play a role in determining whether a salary is enough to live on.
What the data makes clear is that for a growing number of UK workers, it isn’t. And until that changes, credit will continue to fill the gap, whether we like it or not. At Sunny, we believe that credit should be a tool that supports financial wellbeing, not one that undermines it.
If you’re considering a loan, we encourage you to borrow only what you need, ensure repayments are affordable, and reach out for support if you’re feeling the strain.
If you’re struggling to make payments, you can also read where to find resources for debt help.
Methodology
Data is based on an analysis of Sunny loan applicants between March 2025 and March 2026. Findings are derived from analysing loan application patterns by industry, using the applied loan-to-income mean.
