Citizens Advice Swale is expecting Wednesday, January 31, to be one of the busiest days of the year, as people recovering from the financial impact of Christmas seek urgent help.

On that date last year, nationwide the organisation helped 2,800 people – up 30% from its daily average.

It meant that every 10 seconds somebody new was looking for help last year. And it is expecting similar levels of calls and queries this year.

Citizens Advice deals with multiple issues, ranging from finances and consumer rights to work and housing.

January is always a busy month as people tend to build up debt over the festive period and throughout the New Year.

Swale Citizens Advice manager Sara Jones said: "Christmas in particular 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."

Citizens Advice has published its six top tips to help people keep their finances in order:

• Make a list of what you owe to who;

• Prioritise your debts – organise them into priority debts – such as council tax and mortgages – and non-priority ones;

• Work out how much you can pay – calculate how much disposable income you will have to be able to pay off debts;

• Always pay priority debts first;

• Consider investing in a free debt-management plan to pay non-urgent debts: you make one lump payment and the plan organiser will pay people you owe with that money;

• If you can’t pay your debts seek advice from Citizens Advice immediately.

Citizens Advice Swale moved from offices in Station Street, Sittingbourne, on January 3 and is now based in Swale House in East Street – Swale council's headquarters. It is still renting offices but deemed the move necessary to cut costs and improve service quality.

For information and advice, visit the offices at Swale House on Mondays, Wednesdays or Fridays between 10am and 2pm, or click here.