"i'll always be in debt": Irish and UK student behaviour in a credit led environment

Purpose: This research seeks to explore current attitudes, motivations and behaviours in relation to student credit and debt consumption in the UK and Ireland. Design/methodology/approach: Key qualitative consumer research based on 20 interviews with Irish and UK higher education students is presented. Findings: The findings highlight that, while the UK and Irish student contexts are significantly different in terms of accommodation costs, tuition fees and living expenses, many Irish students reported relatively high debt levels, with some exceeding their UK counterparts. The research identifies key contextual factors associated with the credit-friendly environment in which students live in addition to shedding light on student orientation towards credit and debt, with specific conclusions for future student debt. Research limitations/ implications: Given the rise in debt and its detrimental consequences, the study has far-reaching implications for policy makers, consumer agencies financial providers and marketers in terms of creating an environment where good student financial capability and management is developed and facilitated through increased financial education and regulation. The research has implications for other western countries in terms of predicting comparative trends in student credit and debt attitude and behaviour. Originality/value: This paper addresses the lack of analytical and academic commentary exploring the dynamics and nature of student credit and debt, particularly within an Irish context, in addition to providing a cross-cultural comparison between credit and debt consumption in Ireland, where debt is a relatively new phenomenon, and the UK, a country well-entrenched in debt.