We aim to make our website as accessible as possible. However if you use a screen reader and require debt advice you may find it easier to phone us instead. Our phone number is 0 8 0 0 1 3 8 1 1 1 1. Freephone (including all mobiles).
mum at the table with bills

Considering a DMP?

We can help with free, impartial debt advice online now.

Get debt help

i This solution is available throughout the UK.

How do I get a DMP?

Where can I get a free debt management plan?

A debt management plan (DMP) is a payment plan arranged with your creditors. As a charity we offer free DMPs, however some debt management companies charge for them.

A debt management plan is usually arranged on your behalf by a third party provider, for example a debt charity or debt management company. This means you’ll make a single monthly payment to the DMP provider and they’ll contact all of your creditors and send each of them a share of your payment every month.

If you’re finding it difficult to keep up with payments to your debts, we can review your finances and help you work out a budget to see if a debt management plan is the right debt solution for you.

If it’s suited to your situation, we can arrange a free debt management plan for you with no hidden charges.

You would then pay us an affordable monthly amount which we'll share out fairly among your creditors. You can keep up to date with your DMP online, and we’ll send you a monthly statement detailing how much you’ve paid to each of your creditors.


mum at the table with bills

Considering a DMP?

We can help with free, impartial debt advice online now.

Get debt help

What are the benefits of a free DMP?

If you start a DMP with a fee-charging company, it means you’ll be paying fees to the DMP provider as well as making payments towards your debts. This means it’s likely to take longer to pay off your debts, because some of the money you could be paying to your creditors is going to the DMP fees.

The benefit of having a fee-free DMP is that all of the money paid into your DMP will go towards your creditors, making it quicker for you to pay off your debts.

Importantly, starting a DMP with a fee-charging provider won’t give you any extra guarantees that your creditors will agree to the plan or stop interest and charges.

What are non-profit debt management plans?

A non-profit DMP has no monthly charges, so all of the money you pay goes towards paying off your debts.

Some companies charge to organise debt management plans. These fees are usually included in the monthly total you pay to them. Because of this, your debts are likely to take longer to pay off with a fee-charging DMP company, than with a free DMP from a non-profit debt charity like us.

Whether you enter into a DMP with a fee-charging company or a charity like us, you’ll need to consider how a DMP could affect your credit rating, the overall amount of debt you repay and the length of time you take to repay.

If you’d like to find out if a DMP is suited to your situation, you can use our free online debt advice tool. It’ll assess your financial situation and recommend a debt solution that’s suited to you.

What are DMP fees paying for?

If you decide to start a DMP with a fee-charging provider, the fees you pay will cover the costs of them setting up your plan, dealing with your monthly payments, providing you with statements and reviewing your plan regularly to ensure its still working for you.  Remember that a free provider can do all of this at no cost.

The fees charged by commercial DMP providers will vary between companies, and are typically around 17% of your monthly payment each month. If you do decide to start a DMP with a company that charges you, it’s important to find out what you’re paying for, and to work out how much of your monthly payment will be going towards your debts.

Can I switch to a free debt management plan?

If you’re currently paying for a DMP, you should be able to switch to a free DMP if you’d prefer. If you decide to do this, it’s important to check your agreement with your current DMP provider to see if there are any charges or a notice period involved with moving.

If a DMP is the right debt solution for you, we’ll be able to set one up for you for free.

However, first we’ll need to take a look at your financial circumstances to make sure it’s the solution most suited to your situation.

We're rated

4.8 out of 5
Read reviews of StepChange » Av. ratings for our service by DMP/DRO clients after 3 months.