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Our Covid-19 Payment Plan

The simple way for customers with multiple debts to restore certainty and get their finances back on track after coronavirus.

As a result of the pandemic, millions of people across the UK have lost their jobs or had their income reduced. As forbearance and payment holidays come to an end, many people who were financially fine before the pandemic have built up short-term debt and arrears.

This means that, although they may not need full debt advice, there are a group of people who may struggle to return to their contractual payments without support. Our new Covid Payment Plan (CVPP) looks to help these people get back to contractual payments through a short-term repayment plan.

What is CVPP?

Our short video explains more about CVPP, how we've developed it, and how it can help those financially affected by the pandemic to get back on track:

About the CVPP


CVPP is a short-term repayment solution to help customers whose financial situation has been negatively affected by the crisis, giving them time to recover their income and regain control of their financial situation. 

  • Customers on a CVPP make reduced payments towards their debts, up to a maximum of 12 months
  • We’ll work with customers to make sure they pay their priority bills in full first, calculating an affordable monthly repayment from their remaining income
  • Customers will pay a minimum of 33% of their commitments each month, but we’ll encourage them to pay more if they can

CVPPs are available across the UK, so regardless of where they live in the UK, if your customer is struggling to keep up with payments of their debts, a CVPP could help them get back on track. They may be eligible for a CVPP if: 

  • Their household income has been reduced as a result of the coronavirus crisis
  • They believe there is a reasonable chance that their income will recover within the next 12 months
  • They believe that they will be able to repay all missed priority arrears within 12 months, or have already made arrangements to do so
  • They believe they will be able to pay 33% or more of their minimum payments to unsecured creditors every month throughout the 12- month plan
  • They have not had a failed debt solution in the last 12 months

A CVPP can include: 

 Priority arrears such as council tax, water, gas and electricity bills, rates, and other priority arrears not connected to housing or asset-backed finance. These debts need to be paid in full within the 12- month plan

 Credit commitments such as credit cards, personal loans, store cards, payday loans or catalogue payments. For these debts, customers will need to be able to pay 33% of their contractual payment

 The CVPP can’t be used to pay mortgages, rent, secured loans, overdrafts, hire purchase, benefit overpayment repayments, fines, taxes, CCJs, child maintenance arrears, insurance arrears, or TV licence arrears

Want to know more?

For further information about the CVPP and how it can support your customers, download our partner information pack, or read our Partner FAQs

Download [PDF]

Are your customers looking for information about CVPP?

Please visit our CVPP page for more detailed information

It's easy to make a referral for a CVPP

Simply signpost your customer to stepchange.org/we-can-help