People must research gym membership plans before committing to overly expensive contracts, says charity

Sign up to our free Living Well email for advice on living a happier, healthier and longer life Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter Live your life healthier and happier with our free weekly Living Well newsletter SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy People looking to make a healthy start to the new year by signing up to a gym are being urged by Citizens Advice to do their homework first to make sure they don’t end up out of pocket or trapped in a contract they don’t want. “At this time of year we’re bombarded with offers for health and fitness memberships, which can ask for a lot of money or commitment up front,” said Kate Hobson, consumer expert at Citizens Advice. “Make sure you know how long you’re committing for, how much it will cost you, and think about how often you’ll need to use it for it to make sense on your budget.” Citizens Advice provided one case study of a man who had turned to the charity seeking help to get out of a 12-month gym contract. Previous research by Citizens Advice has found that many people get trapped paying subscriptions that they don’t use, costing them hundreds of pounds a year.