The British do not have the same sensitivities to stereotypes as Americans; note the Spanish buffoon Manuel on Fawlty Towers who was not nearly so popular in Spain.

That aside, they were not blaming black people.   They were clearly fingering the lending institutions. The poor person (whatever ethnicity) is also a victim, if lured into unaffordable debt.

An excellent documentary (I believe called MAXED OUT) demonstrates this, and shows a "Special Needs" person being shown how to copy his own name onto a contract for a credit card. The perp here is the lender; the doomed borrower is not at fault.