“It may be that women are less likely to stick their head in the sand about debt problems; or it could be that low value or consumer debts have a bigger impact on women’s finances than men,” said Phillip Sykes, president of R3, the insolvency trade body. “Either way it is also a reflection, particularly in the under 35 age group, of women’s rapidly increasing economic activity which is closing the historic gap with their male counterparts.”