The Most Rev Justin Welby made the comments in the foreword of a report compiled by debt help charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP).
The report said, on average, CAP clients’ outstanding debt equates to 96 per cent of annual household income when they seek help.
Mr Welby, the charity’s patron, says in the report: “In 2017 we have seen warnings from many of our financial institutions about the scale of consumer borrowing.
“Achieving economic stability together with economic justice for all is too easily overlooked.”
He continues: “The scale of problem debt in our country is at epidemic levels.
“Jesus calls us to be hope-bringers and peace-givers. Where there are still lives filled with an oppressive hopelessness, where darkness has a grip, our mission is not done.”
In 2013, the archbishop voiced concerns about energy price hikes and he also said in that year that the Church of England wanted to drive payday lenders out of business through the creation of credit unions.
The CAP report said that for people in severe financial hardship, a home may not be a place of refuge but rather a place without food in the cupboard, without heating, hot water or working household essentials.
More than 1,000 CAP clients were asked about life before they got help from the charity.
The research found nearly four in 10 (37%) clients were afraid to leave the home, six in 10 (60%) were…
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