NHS staff make up the largest proportion of people relying on payday loans, a damning study has revealed.

Statistics released by the financial wellbeing platform FairQuid found health workers make up the majority of British payday loan applications, accounting for 3.47 per cent of all loans.

The research found that NHS staff applying for a loan earn £1,590 per month on average and seek to borrow just under a week’s wages (£363).