Leeds debt charity sees surge in demand after Christmas and New Years
Debt charity StepChange says January 5th was its busiest day in over a year
Last updated 12th Jan 2026
A Leeds debt charity says nearly 100,000 people have visited its website since the start of this year.
StepChange says January 5th was its busiest day in over a year, with 800 clients using its services.
Fiona Hughes, Senior Media and PR Officer at the charity, says January is always a difficult month.
Hughes explained: "A lot of people might be struggling after the festive season, you know, if they've stretched their budgets.
"Or just generally in January wanting to look at their finances, maybe if they have debt that they're struggling with, trying to get back on track.
"We actually around 4,000 people visit our website on Christmas Day as well."
Hughes pointed to the economic climate as an explanation: "It's not just necessarily Christmas or January that might be pushing people's budgets to the limit.
"We've seen almost four years now of very high living costs, we've seen energy bills remain stubbornly high compared to just four years ago or so."
Hughes' debt advice starts off simple - create a very detailed budget so you can see your outgoings.
But one step she recommends might seem nerve-wracking to those who are in financial difficulty.
Hughes said: "Tell the people that you owe money to that you're struggling. I know that might seem daunting, but they really are there to support you. They'll have support in place for people who are struggling with debt, they'll be able to signpost you to maybe other sources of support."