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Getting debt advice

Many organisations provide debt advice or act for you in negotiations with your creditors (people you owe money to). For example, they can find the best way for you to deal with your debts and set up an arrangement with your creditors.

Not all debt advice is free and some organisations may charge a fee. This fee can be for helping you and/or managing any arrangements they set up with your creditors. You should check if there are any fees and how and when you might have to pay them.

• Debt repayment options - a guide

Organisations offering free help and advice

Many organisations offer free and independent advice to help you deal with your debt problems. Some of these organisations are listed below.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice can help you resolve legal, money and other problems by providing free information and confidential advice from over 3,200 locations around the country.

• Find your nearest Citizens Advice Bureau in England and Wales

• Citizens Advice Northern Ireland Opens new window

• Citizens Advice Scotland Opens new window

Debt Advice Foundation

Debt Advice Foundation, a registered UK charity, operates a free telephone helpline for anyone worried about debt.

• Debt Advice Foundation Opens new window

National Debtline

The National Debtline offers free, confidential and independent help over the phone for people in England, Scotland and Wales. You can call their helpline and also download publications from their website.

• National Debtline Opens new window

My Money Steps

My Money Steps is an online debt advice service run by National Debtline, providing free, independent and confidential advice 24 hours a day.

• My Money Steps Opens new window

Debt Support Trust

Debt Support Trust is a debt advice charity offering telephone or internet-based debt advice.

• Debt Support Trust Opens new window

Christians Against Poverty

Christians Against Poverty is a national debt counselling charity offering support to anyone in debt. It has over 160 centres across the UK.

• Christians Against Poverty Opens new window

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS)

The CCCS provides free and confidential counselling on debt problems – including personal budgeting and credit advice.

• Consumer Credit Counselling Service Opens new window

Community Legal Advice (CLA)

If you qualify for legal aid and live in England or Wales, CLA can provide free help or legal advice over the phone. They can help with debt, housing, employment, education, welfare benefits and tax credits.

• Community Legal Advice Opens new window

Payplan

Payplan provides free advice to people living in the UK about debt and budgeting, including free debt management plans and IVAs (Individual Voluntary Arrangements) without upfront fees.

• Visit the Payplan website Opens new window

Business Debtline

The Business debtline provides a free telephone debt counselling service for the self-employed and small businesses facing financial hardship.

• Free impartial advice from Business Debtline Opens new window

Your local authority

Some local authorities offer a free debt counselling service. You can check with your local authority by following the link below. You'll be asked to enter details of where you live and then taken to your local authority website where you can find out more.

• Find out about debt counselling Opens new window

Law Centres

If you're being threatened with legal action, and you qualify for legal aid, you can get free and independent advice from your local Law Centre.

• Find your local Law Centre Opens new window

• Scottish Association of Law Centres Opens new window

General information on insolvency legislation and procedures

For free general information on insolvency legislation and procedures in England and Wales contact the Insolvency Service. Telephone 0845 602 9848, Monday to Friday 8.00 am to 5.00 am.

For Scotland, contact the Accountant in Bankruptcy. For Northern Ireland, contact the Insolvency Service Northern Ireland.

• The Insolvency Service

• Scotland's Accountant in Bankruptcy Opens new window

• The Insolvency Service Northern Ireland Opens new window

Useful contacts

• Money, tax and benefits contacts