We can help you be free from debt

Gas and electricity arrears are ‘priority debts’, this means you shouldn’t ignore them. To avoid you being disconnected, we can work with you on a plan to pay what you owe, at a rate you can afford.

Or, if you’re unable to repay your energy arrears, we’ll look at other ways to deal with your debts.

Read our guide to dealing with gas and electricity bills.

If it’s unlikely you’ll be able to pay what you owe in a reasonable amount of time, you may be able to apply for a debt solution to write off some, or all, of your debts. You should always get free and impartial debt advice before going ahead with any debt solution.

Sometimes creditors may agree to write off a debt, or part of it, but this depends on your situation.

Be wary of adverts talking about ways to write off debt. These are often promoting debt solutions that make the most money for the companies advertising them.

Find out if you can write off debt and how it works.

If you have a poor credit history, you're more likely to be offered loans and credit to consolidate debt with higher interest rates. This could be a record of missed payments and defaults, County Court judgments (CCJs), or a previous insolvency.

If this is the case, debt consolidation loans may not be the best option for you. And if you’re depending on your credit card to get by, you’re at risk of further debt problems in future.

Debt consolidation can involve extra costs, and potentially makes a difficult situation much worse. That's why it's very important to get free, expert debt help before taking out a consolidation loan.

Find out more about debt consolidation.

If you’re finding it difficult to pay for food or your essential bills, it may seem like there’s no help available. However, trust funds, credit unions, councils, energy providers, the government and charities all offer a range of practical support for people who need urgent financial help.

We can work with you on your budget to afford your bills. We’ll also refer you to our partners who provide specialist support to help you feed your family.

Find out how to get emergency help.

Making a budget is the first step towards taking control of your finances and getting your situation back on track.

Budgeting helps you to see where your money is going, so it’s easier to make sure that you’ve covered all the things you need to pay for. When you come to us for debt advice, we will work out your budget with you.

Watch our video guide to making a budget.

It’s important to understand your rights when dealing with bailiffs, or Sheriff officers in Scotland.

Bailiffs should write to you first, and if they visit you, there are lots of rules about what bailiffs can and can’t do.

There are differences between bailiffs and debt collectors. For example, debt collectors don’t have any special legal powers to collect a debt.

Find out how debt collection works.

If you don’t deal with your rent arrears, your landlord or letting agency could take steps to evict you, but you do have the chance to avoid this happening.

If you don’t deal with mortgage arrears, your lender could look into repossessing your home, but this is a last resort.

You should look at your budget and work out how much you can afford to pay. We can help you put together a budget.

Contact your landlord, letting agent and lender and ask for a new payment arrangement. Send them a copy of your budget to show you’re offering to pay the most you can manage.

If agreed, keep to this new payment arrangement.