Nearly a third worry they’ll need a credit card to afford Christmas

Reviewed by: Greg Wilson
Founder & Insurance Expert

Written by: Katie Gawley
Insurance Content Writer

Fact-checked by: Quotezone Editorial Team

This content follows our Editorial Guidelines

Last Updated: October 2026
Read time: 4 min

Lenders predict an increase in missed credit card payments this autumn as many Brits are under pressure with essentials such as petrol and energy continuing to grow in cost.*

Credit card comparison site Quotezone surveyed 1,000 people to get their thoughts on spending as we head towards the festive season.

With 15% admitting they typically start Christmas shopping in October and 32% starting in November, the team asked how people were planning ahead for Christmas and how many were worried they’d need a credit card to be able to afford the festivities.

Worryingly, 30% said they would need to use a credit card to afford Christmas this year, with 52% of all respondents reporting they rely on a credit card every month to afford essentials.

Of those surveyed, 19% feared they wouldn’t be able to pay off the credit card balance.

The latest research from Quotezone’s charity partner, The Money Charity, shows that as of July this year, credit card debt is growing, up 8.9% from the previous year – with an average of £2,832 owed per household.

The charity say Brits currently owe £82.3 billion in credit card debt.  

Greg Wilson, Founder and CEO of Quotezone.co.uk, said: “Homes around the UK are already under pressure to cope with ever increasing bills. The worry is that, as the festive season approaches, this will escalate matters for many families.

“Now is the time to plan. It’s so important, especially in the run-up to Christmas when it’s easy to get swept up in the excitement and overspend. It’s crucial that people take the time to budget and shop around.

“Credit cards can be really useful to help spread payments and manage large purchases but it’s vital that a repayment plan is possible and realistic to avoid incurring additional fees and mounting debt.

“At Quotezone, we’ve just launched credit card comparison to help people compare and research the various card options side by side – allowing them to keep an eye on repayments and APR choices.

“Credit cards can also help with debt consolidation, helping merge debt into one manageable place with low or no APR – to give people more time to plan out payments.

“People need to be careful though and do their research, noting any additional transfer fees and also the new rate once any promotional period has ended. Interestingly our survey showed only 17% of people have used this option of debt consolidation previously, to help manage how and when they pay back the balance.”

Quotezone.co.uk’s top 5 tips for managing debt this Christmas:

1.Create a Christmas budget – sit down and work out realistically how much you have to spend and how many people you’re buying for in advance, to get an estimated cost per person. Don’t forget to add Christmas outings or the cost of hosting family to give you an overall cost for the festive season.

2.Log the interest-free period in your calendar – most standard credit cards will have a certain number of days free from interest charges, so it’s important that you have the balance cleared before interest is charged. Proving you can make repayments on time can also helps build a strong credit score.  

3.Don’t be tempted to withdraw cash – credit cards often have fees and interest charges added for cash withdrawals right from the first withdrawal.**

4.Pay more than minimum – set up a direct debit so you don’t lose track of payments and always try and pay more than the minimum, to help clear the balance before interest rates are added or increased.

5.If struggling, get help early – it’s important to chat to the credit card provider if you think you’re going to miss payments, they may be able to help or offer alternative payment plans. There’s also free advice from debt charities and government-backed resources – just double-check they are authorised by the FCA.

As a price comparison site, Quotezone helps over four million customers every year to compare and find savings on all sorts of household essentials from car insurance to broadband and now credit cards.

References:

*https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c84g1xz1l9ddo

**https://www.moneyhelper.org.uk/en/everyday-money/credit/managing-credit-well

Survey – Quotezone.co.uk’s findings are based on a randomised survey of 1,000 respondents across the UK during September 2026, which represents a margin of error of approximately 5% at a 95% confidence level.

Photo credit – iStock.com ArtistGNDphotography

This article is intended as generic information only and is not intended to apply to anybody’s specific circumstances, demands or needs. The views expressed are not intended to provide any financial service or to give any recommendation or advice. Products and services are only mentioned for illustrative rather than promotional purposes.