Debt advisors expect a call every 10 seconds on the busiest day of their year as crippling Christmas spending catches up with struggling families.

Today, Citizens Advice bosses are expecting about 130 people to ask for help in East Staffordshire alone.

The date they have dubbed "debt day" traditionally falls when mounting festive debts start to take their toll. This year it falls on Wednesday, January 31.

But Dawn Green, chief officer of Citizens Advice for Mid-Staffordshire, says problems can be dealt with if help is sought early enough.

She said: "There is a surge in demand for our debt advice towards the second half of January.

"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.

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

"Citizens Advice can help you review your situation so you can make decisions that improve your financial security."

Citizens Advice, which is a free, confidential service, advises people struggling with benefit over-payments, mortgage arrears, credit cards, overdrafts, loans and council tax.

According to data from last year, the charity helped 2,800 people on January 31, 2017 - a 30 per cent increase on the daily average.

This figure represents one person seeking help every 10 seconds.

This assistance can include helping with debt concerns, including council tax, credit card and store card debts.

Overspending at Christmas has left many worrying about finances
Overspending at Christmas has left many worrying about finances

The service have also reported that the day before "debt day" is the most popular day for those looking for advice online.

On January 30 lasy year, the Citizens Advice website reported twice as many page views as the average for the rest of the year.

In Burton, the service's bosses are looking for debt volunteers to join their team in Horninglow Street.

They offer full credited training, from the Community Money Advice Service.

There are 10 places available on the next programme and anybody interested needs to get in touch before Monday, February 19.

Those struggling with debts are advised to calculate how much they can repay each month
Those struggling with debts are advised to calculate how much they can repay each month

A Citizens Advice spokesman said: "All volunteers form a part of the team and will have the chance to make a different to people's lives through their advice."

Anybody looking for more information can apply to sign up at volunteer@citizensadvicemidstaffs.org.uk or by calling 01283 527991.

For further information or advice, people in East Staffordshire and Tamworth are advised to contact Citizens Advice Mid Staffordshire on 03444 111 444.

Seven tips to get debt-free

Citizens advice in Mid Staffordshire have given seven of their top tips to help people sort out their debts this 'debt day'.

1) Work out how much you owe

Knowing how much you owe is always a good first step so you can calculate accordingly moving forward.

You are advised to create a list of exactly who you owe money to and add up how much is needed to be paid each month.

If you have lost a recent statement, contact the creditor, the contact you owe money to, and ask how much you owe.

2) Prioritise your debts

The advice reads: "Make a list of who you owe money to and add up how much you need to pay each month. If you don’t have your most recent statements, contact who you owe money to (creditors) and ask what you owe."

3) Work out how much you can pay

To work out how much you can afford to give back, you should create a budget by adding up all essential living costs, like food and accommodation. Take these away from your income.

Any money left over can be paid towards any debts, with the Citizens Advice budgeting tool available online to help. This can be found on the Citizens Advice website.

4) Be realistic about what you can afford to offer

The advice reads: "Any offer must be sustainable in the long term. Think about unexpected costs you may need to pay and allocate a little for them – a car tyre may need to be replaced, the boiler may need to be serviced or the washing machine may break.

"People can often end up defaulting on payments and it is then much harder to convince a creditor to accept a new offer."

5) Paying urgent debts

Some debts may need to be made a priority, as if several have built up, they can't all be paid at once.

Contact your creditors to find out if you can negotiate how much you need to pay, or when you need to pay them.

You should always pay priority creditors who are taking legal action against you first.

6) Paying non-urgent debts

After paying urgent debts, you may have some funds left after for paying for non-urgent creditors. You can contact Citizens Advice Mid Staffordshire for help and advice on how to split this evenly and effectively.

7) If you can’t pay your debts

If you are struggling to set any or little money aside to pay priority debts, always seek advice from Citizens Advice straight away, 'as there may be some legal options open to you', according to the service.