Many households ‘will only have cleared their Christmas debt in the weeks ahead’

Many households will finally be free of their Christmas debt in the coming weeks, a survey indicates.

The research found that April is the month when many people may finally be clear of their Christmas spending, with those who overspent having taken four months on average to pay debts off.

Online budgeting tool IE Hub, which commissioned the survey, found a third (33%) of people who celebrated Christmas exceeded their planned budget in 2025.

Of those, 12% went into debt to cover the cost, overspending by an average of £228.68.

While four months was the average expected time to clear Christmas debt, some people surveyed thought it would take more than six months to clear what they owed, potentially pushing repayments into the summer.

Dylan Jones, chief executive at IE Hub, said: “April has effectively become the month many people finally pay off Christmas. What starts as festive generosity can quietly follow households well into the new year.”

He added: “The findings highlight how festive overspending is no longer just a December issue, but a financial burden stretching deep into the first quarter of the year, with April now marking the true turning point for many households.”

While April could be a Christmas debt-free time for some households, it is also a period when many bill rises take place.

The conflict in the Middle East is also having an impact on rising prices, with inflation now expected to be higher this year than previously thought.

Some 2,000 people who celebrate Christmas were surveyed across the UK in December by OnePoll for IE Hub.