"Some now counting cost of Christmas"

Those who neglected their household bills in favour of paying for Christmas are now being left to count the cost.

That is the message coming from Warwick District Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), which has seen a sharp rise in the number of residents asking for debt advice in the New Year.

According to Warwick CAB, some of the district's most vulnerable residents - many of who may have poor credit ratings - were unable to secure extra credit in the run up to the festive period.

And a lack of affordable alternatives meant they were forced to choose between spending money on bills or Christmas - with several opting for the latter.

But it seems the overall picture has become even more complex.

Warwick District CAB branch manager, Aidan Knox said: "The temptation and pressure to spend at Christmas can be very difficult to resist and winter is a particularly expensive time of year with high energy prices.

"Housing costs are also demanding in Warwick district too, which can put even greater pressure on already tight budgets.

"There are significantly more clients pouring into the bureau drop-in compared with, say three to six weeks ago, many of whom have neglected to pay their household bills in December to meet the additional costs of Christmas.

"This filters through in January with people who have missed a payment to a utility company or their rent, which can lead to debts that can take several months to pay off.

"Unfortunately, we have also seen an increase in people who have had problems in the past getting into difficulties again.

"Often people have set up repayment schedules for their debts, which post-Christmas they cannot afford to maintain and there can be a need to rescheduled these again.

"It is vital to stick to these because there are potentially serious consequences including bailiff action if they're not maintained."

But for those who find themselves in financial difficulty, he stressed it was never too late to ask for advice.

He added: "If you have overspent and are struggling to pay bills, the CAB is here to help - don’t feel you’re the only one.

"The most important thing is to try and maintain payments on priorities such as rent, mortgages and other bills. The quicker you can start communicating with the people you owe money to and seek help, the better."

Visit http://www.cableamington.org.uk/ for further details.