Wonga and Citizens Advice launch inquiry into loans Wonga has teamed up with Medway Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) to launch a personal finance research project. The project aims to encourage a better understanding of personal finance for the 250,00 people of the Medway area, with a focus on personal loan and credit card debt. According to the release announcing the initiative launch, the average unsecured personal debt level of a Medway inhabitant is £43,000, and Medway CAB recently dealt with a case where the client had 68 credit cards. The initiative will be made up of face to face and online surveys reviewing loan products including debit and credit cards, store cards and payday loans. Industry experts have questioned the partnership between Wonga and the CAB. The payday loan company has not always received positive press, recently come under fire for their high interest rate loans, and for targeting students. At the time, the Helena Kennedy Foundation, an education charity that provides financial support to poorer students, accused Wonga of exploiting hard-up students to promote its high-interest loans. The local Conservative MP, Tracey Crouch, who is chairing the inquiry, said: "Working in the insurance industry before my election to Parliament, I saw individual companies often partner Citizens Advice in research to increase understanding of an issue and work together to improve outcomes for customers. It is essential that we find ways of helping people to manage and understand their personal finances and prevent people getting into debt, whether accumulated through bank charges, credit cards or short-term lenders. This independent inquiry will help us scratch much deeper beneath the surface of Medway's increasing debt problem and consequently help local organisations target support to those who need it.