Money Wellness sees Easter surge as ‘Awful April’ hits households hard

If this Easter weekend felt more stressful than restful, you’re definitely not alone.

April has earned its nickname ‘Awful April’ for a reason.

As the new financial year kicks in, you’ve probably noticed your essential bills all rising at once. Council tax, water, phone and broadband have all gone up together. Add rising food and fuel costs, linked to the conflict in the Middle East, and it’s no surprise so many households are feeling stretched.

And over Easter, that pressure really showed.

Between Good Friday and Easter Monday, 12,706 people contacted Money Wellness for debt guidance, a 13.3% increase compared to the same bank holiday weekend last year.

Behind that number are real people who are worried and, in many cases, close to breaking point.

Sebrina McCullough, our director of external relations, says advisers are seeing just how serious things have become:

“If energy prices continue to rise and inflation and interest rates increase further, we could see even more households struggling in the months ahead. For thousands of financially vulnerable families, this could point to a very difficult winter ahead.”

Her message is simple - don’t wait until things get worse. The sooner you reach out, the easier it is to take control and stop money problems from escalating.

Feeling the ‘Awful April’ squeeze? Here’s what you can do

If your money isn’t going as far this month, a few small steps can make a real difference:

Don’t just accept higher bills

It’s easy to stick with the same providers, but you could be paying more than you need to.

• shop around for better broadband or mobile deals, using sites like GoCompare or Uswitch
• if you’re out of contract, try negotiating, you could cut your monthly cost
• check if you qualify for social tariffs, cheaper deals for people on certain benefits

Stay on top of your budget

It might not be exciting, but it really helps you feel more in control.

• keep track of what’s coming in and going out

• look for easy savings like unused subscriptions or frequent takeaways
• small changes can quickly add up

Our free budgeting calculator makes it simple to see where your money’s going, and where you can cut back.

Prioritise the essentials

When money’s tight, focus on the basics first:

• rent or mortgage
• council tax
• energy and water
• essential insurance

Falling behind on these can lead to serious consequences. Once they’re covered, focus on high-interest debts like credit cards or payday loans, as paying these off sooner can save money in the long run.

Speak up early

If you’re struggling, don’t keep it to yourself or ignore it.

• contact lenders as soon as possible
• ask about payment breaks or reduced payments
• see if interest or charges can be frozen

Most companies will try to help, but only if you tell them what’s going on.

Get free support

You don’t have to deal with this alone.

Free, expert debt advice is available:

• online or by phone
• at a time that suits you
• with support tailored to your situation

Check what you’re entitled to

You might be missing out on extra income.

• around £24 billion in benefits and grants goes unclaimed each year

• last year alone, we completed 45,000 benefit checks and found an average of £3,000 extra per household

That could go a long way towards easing the pressure this spring.

Our free benefit checker takes just minutes and it could make a big difference to your finances.