When R3 issues one of its Personal Debt Snapshots, it's an opportunity to understand more about the financial issues facing people across the UK. Sometimes, the findings can come as a surprise.
The latest one, for example, indicates that only 3% of the population intend to get some debt advice over the next six months - and that only 6% have ever actually sought some advice about their debts.
You might think those numbers would be far higher, given the figures that keep making the news: such as the 120,000 people in England and Wales who were declared insolvent last year, or the 2,000,000+ people R3 estimates are in a debt management plan today.
So, given the extent of the debt problems UK residents are facing, why aren't more people looking for some professional help with their debts?
The reason obviously varies from one person to the next: 9% of GB adults, for example, still think there's a 'stigma' involved in seeking debt advice, while 25% say it's not clear where they should go to get good, impartial debt advice.
One point that R3 makes clear is that 41% of the people who had received debt advice say they wished they'd done so earlier on. That's no great surprise, according to the company that provided this article, Gregory Pennington - a company with nearly 20 years' experience of providing debt management plans and helping people tackle their debts.
"In general," a spokesperson for the debt management company commented, "the sooner someone faces their debts head-on, the more realistic it is that they'll be able to bring them back under control by making relatively small changes to their lifestyle. For instance, many people who struggle to make their monthly debt payments will find they're much less of a challenge if they reduce their spending in other areas.
"The exact way people do that will vary from person to person: they may be able to find a better deal on their utilities, for example, cut back on their non-essential spending, or start car-pooling to work. There's a huge number of ways different people can potentially reduce their spending to keep their debt payments affordable - and getting some professional debt advice can be a good way to start exploring their options."
If you thought talking to an expert was the only way to find out more about different approaches to debt, don't discount the internet: "These days, you'll find all kinds of useful material on the internet, from budgeting tools and guides to financial articles dealing with specific areas of financial management.
"Actually talking to an adviser face to face or over the phone can ensure borrowers get personalised, tailored advice from someone who deals with debt issues every day - but simply 'reading around' on the web also has its place, familiarising people with the subject and helping them find practical advice and useful tips, as well as build up a basic level of knowledge, so they can start to understand what kind of 'next steps' they should be considering."