Tuesday 6th of April 2010
Those of you who are struggling with spiralling unsecured debts and find you’re putting your wellbeing on the backburner might want to ask individual voluntary arrangement (IVA) questions as soon as possible.
IVAs give you the chance to cut down on the amount of money you owe on credit cards and personal loans - if it’s worth more than £15,000 - over a period of five years, which could help you set aside some extra cash to go towards keeping your health in check.
And that includes your dental health.
According to figures from Simplyhealth, 43 per cent of Brits are putting off visiting the dentist due to concerns about the cost of a checkup.
Some 26 per cent say they’re now suffering from long-term tooth decay, while 19 per cent have recently lost a tooth.
In addition, the company - which covers health insurance - found that 13 per cent have had an abscess, while two per cent needed extreme dental procedures, which are likely to cost more than an examination in the first place.
Commenting on the findings, the firm’s spokesman James Glover states: "Some people are actually resorting to using credit cards and even loans to pay for the cost of dental treatment."
He adds that it is a problem for many, "but there are simple and cost-effective ways that people can budget for the cost of dental treatment".
These include dental and health cash plans that require a "small monthly premium", he goes on to explain.
If your debts have got to the point where budgeting like this is still out of the question, IVAs could give you a helping hand and leave you with the peace of mind that your health is no longer suffering as a result of your difficult financial situation.
Written by Mark Waterman
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