AS well as eating too much over the festive period, we more often than not over-spend on buying gifts for our family and friends.

Come January we are left counting the costs of the celebrations, but for some the recovery is more gradual as the festivities can bring a greater financial burden.

According to research from the Money Advice Trust, six million Britons are at risk of falling behind with their finances this month. Yet despite the predictions, just one in 100 say they are 'very likely' to ask for help with managing their money and tackling their debts.

The charity, which runs the National Debtline, fears many households will leave it too late and see their financial position deteriorate further in the new year.

Joanna Elson, chief executive of the Money Advice Trust, says: "Our New Year message is simple. If you are dreading the arrival of that first credit card bill in a couple of weeks, now is the time to act.

"Set a budget by working out how much you have coming in and how much you need to spend each month, and open all of your statements to get a handle on how much you owe."

Here are the National Debtline's top three suggested financial resolutions for the New Year: Set a budget for 2015. Sit down and work out how much money you have coming in every month, and what you need to spend. Do not forget to account for annual expenditure, like car insurance or road tax, by dividing it through by 12.

Open all of your statements. Ignoring the problem will only make it worse, so take a deep breath, open all of your statements and get a handle on how much you owe. Write down a list of all of your debts, together with the outstanding balances and repayment dates for each.

Seek free advice early. The earlier you seek free advice, the quicker and easier your problem will be to solve.

Alex Bohdanowicz, specialist services manager for Bradford and Airedale Citizens Advice Bureau, says the organisation anticipates February and March to be its busiest months as people come to terms with their expenditure after Christmas.

But the Bureau is already seeing evidence of financial struggles. Between 2013 and 2014 it had 1,890 new clients, compared to the first six months of 2014 when it saw 1019 - an eight per cent increase.

While there has been a slight improvement in the average debt - £8,568 for 2013 to 2014 compared to £8,030 in the first six months of 2014 - Alex says they have been dealing with a significant amount of rent arrears.

Between 2013 and 2014 the Citizens Advice Bureau saw £214,512.59 worth of rent arrears - 140,524.46 in the first six months of 2014.

Alex says struggling to meet essential basic needs such as rent or council tax is particularly worrying. "What is a concern with the impact of Christmas where people have to spend more it is the impact it has on ongoing essential needs," he says.

Coupled with welfare cuts, it could prove to be a financially testing time for many but Alex welcomes the recent announcement of new rules to protect consumers from harmful fee-charging credit broking practices.

Introduced by the Financial Conduct Authority, the rules ban credit brokers from charging fees to customers, and from requesting customers' payment details for that purpose, unless they comply with new requirements ensuring that customers are given clear information about who they are dealing with, what fee will be payable, and when and how the fee will be payable.

"I think that is a really welcome move because we know that people with the least access to money face the highest costs of lending and a cap on the payday loan will go some way to helping people," says Alex.

Bradford and Airedale Citizens Advice Bureau runs a debt advice line on 01274 758047 which is staffed from 9.30am until 1pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays. However, anyone wanting emergency debt advice should seek face to face advice at the centres. You can find out more about accessing debt advice in Bradford and District by visiting bradfordcan.org.uk

The debt counselling charity Christians Against Poverty (CAP), which has 22 debt centres in the region and a head office in Bradford where it was founded, has already booked 12 people into its centres. Many are struggling due to benefit issues or reduced working hours. Others have attempted to sort out their own problems but decided to seek professional help.

"People will know if they have a problem," says a CAP spokesman.

"They will be the ones who are awake at night worrying; unable to meet frequent creditors’ demands and struggling to afford the basics of life.

“Today we are saying, if that is you, you need to get some help to sort things out.”

* For more information call CAP on 0800 328 0006 or visit capuk.org