Finding a healthy balance

But for just under one in three people, there will be no fresh start from worrying about how they can make ends meet.

Niggling concerns about finances, with thoughts of that credit card bill/overdraft debt/expensive car repair, will continue to seep into their day-to-day life.

In fact, according to new research from website MoneySuperMarket, 31 per cent of us say our finances are our biggest daily worry,

While this figure represents a fall from the 36 per cent who said this when it carried out a similar survey a year ago, for many people financial woes clearly remain at the top of their list of concerns, with around twice as many people worrying about money than they do about their health.

Women are more likely to worry about money than men, the research suggests, and younger people are also more inclined to fret about their finances, with two -thirds (66 per cent) of 18 to 24-year-olds saying they frequently or occasionally worry about money, compared with 29 per cent of those aged 65 or over.

People living in the West Midlands were the most likely to cite money as their top day-to-day concern, while those in Yorkshire and the Humber were the least likely (according to the research among more than 2,000 people carried out last month).

:: So what's behind these worries?

Well, many people said that the rising cost of living has been a key factor, coming at a time when wages have remained pretty stagnant.

Some cited concerns about the potential for their mortgage payments to increase in 2015, amid expectations the Bank of England base rate could start to move off its historic 0.5 per cent low in the coming months, pushing up the cost of borrowing.

Dan Plant, consumer finance expert at MoneySuperMarket, says: "It's great to see that the number of sleepless nights caused by money worries fell in 2014.

"That we've seen living costs, such as petrol and diesel prices decrease, coupled with an energy market which hasn't raised prices this winter, is likely to have eased financial pressures for some households, and allowed us to unwind a bit.

"However, money troubles haven't gone away.

"Worrying about how you'll make ends meet each month can really take its toll."

Having a spring clean through your household bills to see where you can cut down, looking to see if you can switch to a cheaper provider and finding any areas where you can cut back such as cancelling subscriptions you don't use may be options for some.

Signing up to websites which offer cashback such as Quidco and Topcashback could also help you to shave money off any purchases you make.

For those who are worried about sinking into a debt spiral, free help is available from organisations such as StepChange Debt Charity, the National Debtline and Citizens Advice.

StepChange recently suggested that every household should be encouraged to build up an emergency savings buffer of at least £1,000.

Here are the percentages of people across the UK who say their finances are their main daily worry, according to the research for MoneySuperMarket:

:: North-East: 37 per cent

:: North -West: 27 per cent

:: Yorkshire and the Humber: 24 per cent

:: East Midlands: 32 per cent

:: West Midlands: 39 per cent

:: East of England: 36 per cent

:: London: 27 per cent

:: South East: 34 per cent

:: South West: 31 per cent

:: Wales: 31 per cent

:: Scotland: 28 per cent

:: Northern Ireland: 29 per cent

Who... is most likely to send in their tax return on time?

Well, for a start, women are more likely than men to get their tax return in on time, according to analysis by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

For every 10,000 tax returns received last year by HMRC from men, 394 were after the relevant deadline - October 31 for paper submissions and January 31 for online returns. This compares with 358 late returns for every 10,000 received from women.

Looking at different professions and industries, those in the agriculture, fishing and forestry industry are the star performers, with just 109 in every 10,000 filing late returns. Across the UK, taxpayers in Northern Ireland were the most punctual (301 per 10,000), followed by those in Wales (346 per 10,000), England (374 per 10,000) and Scotland (391 per 10,000).

Meanwhile, as the online tax return deadline looms, consumer group Which? has launched a "jargon-busting" tax calculator to help anyone who needs to fill in a tax return.

The free-to-use tax calculator can be found at www.which.co.uk/tax-calculator.

Help and advice on filing your return is available at www.gov.uk/self-assessment-tax-returns.

POUNDNOTES:

Financial fact: The average first-time buyer faces paying 11 per cent more for a property than they did a year earlier, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures.

The typical price paid by someone taking their first step on the property ladder was £208,000 in November, the latest month for which the figures are available.

PEOPLE RETIRING IN 2015 'MORE OPTIMISTIC ABOUT INCOMES'

People retiring this year have the highest expectations for the amounts of cash they will have to live on in six years, a report has found.

Those starting their retirement in 2015 typically estimate they will have an annual income of £17,000 from their pensions and savings, which is £1,200 more than those who retired last year and the largest estimate seen since 2009, according to Prudential.

The high point for expected incomes was the year the survey started, in 2008, when typical annual income for people retiring that year was £18,700.

The latest findings are based on a survey carried out between November and December of more than 1,000 people who are intending to retire in 2015.

PENSIONER BONDS ON SALE

The Government's new market-beating 65-plus bonds have gone on sale.

Up to £10bn has been made available for the bonds, with are aimed at people aged 65 and over and are available through National Savings and Investments, via its website, over the phone or by post.

The bonds offer annual rates of 2.8 per cent for a one-year bond and four per cent for a three-year bond.

MANY HAVE A 'SECRET STRUGGLE' WITH HOUSING COSTS

One in six people have kept secrets from their loved ones by hiding or lying about rent or mortgage troubles, according to research from Shelter.

This included pretending to pay the rent or mortgage when they hadn't, lying about struggling to pay the rent or mortgage and hiding the fact that they were struggling to pay.

People reported secretly taking out loans, selling items such as jewellery, and even shredding bills to keep their problems hidden, according to the survey of more than 4,000 people.

HIGH FIVE SAVERS

:: Phone/Website Rate Account Period Deposit Interest Paid

National Savings and Investments (NS&I) www.nsandi.com 4.00%(F) 65-plus 3YrBnd(X) £500 Yly

Secure Trust Bank www.securetrustbank.com 3.25%(F) FixedRate 31.01.22(B) £1,000 Yly

Secure Trust Bank www.securetrustbank.com 3.03%(F) FixedRate 31.01.20(B) £1,000 Yly

Vanquis Bank www.highyieldaccount.co.uk 3.02%(F) High Yield 5YrBnd(W) £1,000 Yly

Al Rayan Bank 0845 6060 786 1.81% NoticeCashIsa 120Day £250 Mly

TOP FIVE MORTGAGE RATES

:: Phone No Rate Period Max% Adv Fee Incentive

Norwich&Peterborough BS 0845 300 2522 1.74%F For 2Yrs 65% £195 Yes

Yorkshire Bank 0800 202122 2.89%F to 31.3.17 90% £999 Yes

Yorkshire BS 0845 120 0874 2.34%F to 30.4.20 65% £975 Yes

Yorkshire Bank 0800 202122 3.99%F to 31.3.20 90% £999 Yes

Hanley Economic BS 01782 255000 1.89%D for 2 years 80% - Yes

Code:

* - Introductory rate for a limited period F - Fixed H - Operated by internet or telephone K - Operated by internet, telephone or post B - Operated by post or telephone W - Operated by internet P - Operated by post D - Discounted rate V - Variable rate X - Available to 65 and over.

:: Source: Moneyfacts moneyfacts.co.uk. 01603 476 476 (All rates subject to change without notice)