One in six Australians is already having problems repaying their debt even without the added burden of rising interest rates, a new survey has found.

The research, released by business information service Veda Advantage on Tuesday, also found that more than 20 per cent of people applying for credit during the next six months say they are having difficulty paying debts.

Nearly a quarter of those struggling to pay bills owe more than they did a year ago.

While the majority of families was managing credit responsibly and continuing to pay down debt obligations, a small but sizeable group was struggling, Veda Advantage general manager Russell Evans said.

“Under current laws, this group can be invisible until it’s too late,” he said in releasing the Galaxy Research survey.

While the federal government was to be congratulated for implementing new responsible lending laws, credit providers were still working in the dark.

“A simple change to the credit reporting laws will allow credit providers to check a borrower’s current credit commitments and repayment history before additional credit is granted,” Mr Evans said.

“This would protect families from taking on more debt at a time when they need assistance to help them out of debt.”

Mr Evans expects the government’s responsible lending provisions legislation will be endorsed by parliament later in October, but it won’t be enough without access to more transparent information.

“Lenders will struggle to identify families and individuals who are in financial difficulty.”

AAP