Families affected by public debt say they've been made to feel 'sub-human' after struggling to pay things like council tax or rent.
David, who is married with four children and in full-time employment, says his family fell into debt on council tax and energy bills while renting in the private sector while his wife, who is now also in full-time employment, was studying for a degree.
He told The Herald: "I went bankrupt owing £21,000 but that was around £8000 of council tax and then all the other charges linked to the collection process and sheriff officers arresting my wages.
“Then, after I went bankrupt for debts including council tax, they started going after my wife for the exact same debt. They can’t go after me so they started going after her.
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“So we’re now owing on electricity which is coming to a head. My wife and I have spoken about me moving out so the account could go in her name.
“Every time we get a break, they start arresting my wages. You don’t get invited to court, you don’t get anything. They just get a court order and do it.
“They don’t care how many kids you’ve got or what your income is, what you could afford to pay. They take your wages and that’s it.”
David says that his attempts to set up a sustainable payment plan fell on deaf ears.
He explains: "I wanted to set up two different payments so I could pay off the old council tax debt and start tackling what I owe for electricity.
“You speak to them and suggest an offer or some kind of payment plan and they just instantly say no. They just serve the papers. They don’t want information or a discussion.
“You speak to them on the phone and they make you feel sub-human, like you’ve done something majorly wrong.
“I suspect you could actually correlate the data between male suicide and how these people make you feel.”
Amy, an NHS nurse, found herself relying on food banks before children's charity Aberlour were able to pay off rent and council tax debts on her behalf.
"I had lived there with my mum before she died when I was 16. I had nowhere to go but before giving me the lease, the housing association insisted I would be liable for all repairs. I had no idea what that would mean for me.
"I studied nursing at college and went to university after having my daughter. I work as a nurse in the NHS and have a decent salary. We were doing fine but, after the flood, we couldn’t stay in the house.
"I was trying to get it dried out so that we could get the repairs done, trying to get money together for the repairs.
"I was borrowing from family and friends but so much had been damaged, the flooring, appliances. Everything was damp, our clothes, my daughter’s toys.
"I was taking money from one thing to pay something else and payments for rent and council tax were being missed because I was desperate to get the house sorted. I eventually saved about half the £2000 needed.
"Then my bank account was arrested, £1000 straight out, and then up to £300 a month after that. I was back at square one.
"Sometimes I had no money for food when the bills were paid. I was earning around £1600 a month but the first week of the month was the only time I was able to buy shopping. I had to use the food bank and, meanwhile, nothing was happening on the house.
"The housing association were taking me to court for rent arrears. It just seemed never ending and I became more and more depressed and anxious.
"It was affecting my daughter too which made me feel even more guilty and ashamed. She was staying with relatives but when we were together, we couldn’t do anything or go anywhere.
"I was taking extra shifts but that just meant more money being taken from my wages. I was falling even further behind. I felt so alone and didn’t know how I could go on.
"It only turned around when Aberlour offered to help. They helped me settle my rent and council tax and apply for a grant for toys, books, and paint to decorate my daughter’s room. It paid for her school clothes and a winter coat.
"Today, my payments are up to date and we are looking forward to my daughter’s first holiday.
"At last, I feel like I can breathe again."
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