STEPCHANGE DEBT CHARITY

The StepChange Debt Charity maintains an "all you need to know about debt" online service to help deal with your debts and manage your money.

Debt Information and Advice

A comprehensive range of information and advice is available at this link.

Debt Check

Find out what your debt situation is and how what advice you need by completing their 60-second debt test.

Save Money

In conjuction with MoneyAware they have produced a guide, "101 ways to save money", listing simple money-saving tips to help you manage your debts.

Making a Budget

To help you save money and keep your debts under control, you need a good understanding of your income and spending. A detailed guide explaining how to make a budget is available here.

Debt Remedy Tool

They also provides an on-line debt advice service in the form of a 20 min anonymous on-line Debt Remedy Tool which, using details of your debts and personal budget, will recommend a solution tailored to help you.

Persistent Debt

Your credit card is in ‘persistent debt’ if you’ve paid more in interest and charges than you have towards the card's balance based on your card activity over the past 18 months.

A guide to persistent debt detailing ways of paying of your credit card balance quicker is available at this link.

Missing payments/Debt Notices

If you miss payments or do not pay the full payment amount you may be issued with a default notice by your creditor which if applied will be recorded in your credit file and can affect your credit rating.

More information on Default Notices, their effect and what to do if you are issued with one can be found at this link.

Debts passed on or sold to collection agencies

If you have a debt that's been in arrears for a while, or you’ve been sent default notices, your creditor can use a debt collection agency to chase you for payment or your creditor can sell your debt on to a debt purchaser.

For more information on debt collection agencies, what this means to you and what you should do follow this link.

For more information on a debt that has been sold, what this means to you and what you should do follow this link.

Debt and Stress 

From feeling sick to avoiding loved ones, debt stress can show up in many different ways. For a guide to help you deal with your stress and find support if you need it, follow this link.

Check you're getting genuine debt advice

Make sure the company you are talking to is a genuine debt advice organisation not a clone firm posing as debt advice organisation in order to get your personal details. 

Full details of how to check a debt advice organisation are available at this link.

Maintaining your friendships when you’re in debt

It can be difficult to keep your friendships strong when times are tougher than usual but important relationships can help you get through the bad times. Find out how to stay connected with your favourite people at this link.

What to do if you need emergency help with money and food:

For advice on what to do and who to turn to if you are in a cash crisis situation and urgently need money for food or other essentials, follow this link.

Services

For a full list of the services provided, click here.

This includes advice on repaying debts, financial advice services, debt management plans, information on Individual Voluntary Arrangements, and support with equity release for homeowners over the age of 55.

Help and advice is available if you owe money to family or friends.

Sample letters and Court Forms

Sample letters and downloadable templates that will help you write to creditors are available at this link.

A library of common court forms and guidance notes to help you respond to the County Court or respond to a statutory demand from creditors is available at this link.

StepChange MoneyAware provides help and advice on avoiding debt, practical tips on saving money and budgeting advice to stay on top of your household bills.

Further support

Details of other organisations that can provide help and advice are available at this link.

Contact StepChange Debt Charity

The charity has a telephone helpline. Tel: 0800 138 1111.

Full contact details are available at this link.