A third of private weight loss jab patients in West Midlands pushed into debt, figures show
More than a third of people in the West Midlands who use private weight loss injections say the cost has pushed them into debt, new research suggests.
Around 38% of users in the region reported going into debt to fund the treatment, with average debts of about £1,326, according to a survey commissioned by banking app thinkmoney.
Across the UK, around two in five (39%) people using private weight loss injections say the additional cost has put them in debt.
The average debt stands at £1,616, with some people turning to credit cards and overdrafts to help cover the costs.
Savings are also being eaten into, with nearly half (49%) of people saying they are using savings and 17% dipping into money put aside for emergencies to pay for the injections.
Nearly one in 10 (8%) said they would miss a scheduled payment to pay for an injection, while 6% said they have already missed or delayed a payment in order to continue treatment.
Those surveyed said they are spending £210 a month on average on weight loss injections, and around a fifth (21%) said that if their costs were to increase, they would have to stop using them.
Take a look at where each region ranks below:
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.
"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."
The survey was carried out by Savanta in January, among 1,040 people across the UK who are using weight loss injections.
