Between 1995 and 2005, the average borrower's outstanding debt trebled, but the 55-64 age range saw a sharper rise per individual than any other age range. So says €Debt and Older People', a report by the Personal Finance Research Centre at Bristol University, commissioned by Help the Aged and Barclays.

As they prepare for retirement, people should be able to sit back and enjoy the fruits of their years of hard work, rather than struggling to manage their debts. It's extremely worrying to see some people carrying debts with them into retirement " with some still paying off mortgages in their 80s, as the report reveals.

So many were disappointed by the scale of the government's measures to help older people stay warm this winter. As the Help the Aged website reports, a poll carried out by ComRes reveals that:

· Eight out of ten MPs think increased investment is needed in the Government's fuel poverty programmes, including Warm Front.
· Two in three MPs believe the winter fuel payment should be increased.
· Three in five MPs believe the extra tax revenue from rising energy prices should go to fuel poverty programmes.

It seems the recent increases in the cost of gas have simply pushed many older people's budgets too far. Winter heating bills can take up a significant proportion of any monthly budget, but older people with fixed incomes " and no real potential of earning more " have been hit particularly hard.

It all underlines the importance of clearing debts before retirement. Once someone has retired, their income isn't the only thing that shrinks. Their options for managing debt often shrink too, along with the amount of €spare' money they have once they've accounted for all their unavoidable expenses.

This doesn't mean that debt solutions such as debt management and debt consolidation loans aren't an option for older people, but " in general " the younger someone is, the easier it'll be to manage their debts. After all, creditors are more likely to agree to a debt management plan involving reduced payments (rather than pushing for bankruptcy, for example) if they can see that the borrower can commit to making those reduced payments regularly until the debts are paid off.

But as long as the borrower acts in time, debt management can be a particularly effective way to pay off debts in time for retirement. A professional debt management organisation can help over-stretched borrowers do the maths " calculate how much they can really afford per month, and determine whether a debt management plan could help them clear their debts before they retire.