SOME 700 people are expected to contact Citizens Advice Isle of Wight this month seeking help with their debts.

The charity expects January 31 to be its busiest day of the year for debt advice, due to the number of people struggling after Christmas.

Council tax and rent arrears, credit card debt and unsecured loans can all take their toll.

By the end of this month, the charity estimates 700 people will have sought advice — around 100 more than in an average month.

Nationally, Citizens Advice helped almost 2,800 people during January last year - that's one person every ten seconds.

Citizens Advice Isle of Wight chief officer Paul Savill said there were steps people could take to start the new year on a stronger financial footing.

He said: "There is a surge in demand for our debt advice towards the second half of January. Christmas can take a heavy toll on people already struggling to make their money last and leave them with a debt burden in the new year.

"But this needn't become a crisis - problems can be taken care of if you seek advice early.

"The new year is a good time to get on top of your debts, cut your costs or budget better."

He shared six tips to help people manage their debts:

1. Work out how much you owe: Make a list of who you owe money to and add up how much you need to pay each month.

2. Prioritise your debts: Your rent or mortgage, energy bills and council tax are called priority debts as there can be serious consequences if you don't pay them. These should always be paid first. Separate these and work out how much you owe.

3. Work out how much you can pay: Create a budget by adding up your essential living costs, such as food and housing, and taking away these from your income. Any money you have spare can be put towards your debts. The Citizens Advice budgeting tool can help.

4. Paying urgent debts: You may have several priority debts and can't pay them all. Contact all your creditors to find out if you can negotiate on how much you pay, or when you pay them. Always pay first priority creditors who are taking action against you.

5. Paying non-urgent debts: If you have any money left after paying priority debts, consider getting a free debt-management plan. You'll make one monthly payment to the plan provider, who will handle paying your creditors. Or contact your creditors and offer them what you can afford to pay.

6. If you can't pay your debts: If you've got little or no money spare to pay your priority debts seek advice from us straight away.

For information and advice, contact Citizens Advice Isle of Wight on 0344 111 444.