Help

HELP WITH YOUR FINANCES

StepChange

StepChange (formerly the Consumer Credit Counselling Service) is the leading debt charity in the UK providing free advice, help with budgets and debt management plans tailored to your personal situation.

Citizens Advice

Citizens Advice provides free, independent and confidential advice on getting out of debt, and a variety of other issues. With branches across the UK they have useful resources online, such as debt FAQs and budgeting tools.

The Money Charity (formerly Credit Action) is a charity with over 20 years’ experience in money management. As well as free and confidential advice, they provide several useful money management apps, such as the “Spendometer”.

AdviceUK

AdviceUK is the UK’s largest support network for free, independent advice centres. AdviceUK was formed in 1979 as the Federation of Independent Advice Centres (FIAC). As a UK-wide organisation AdviceUK is a key member of the Advice Services Alliance.

Christians Against Poverty

A national charity, working across the UK to lift people out of debt and poverty offering free debt counselling through a network of 260 debt centres based in local churches.

National Debtline

National Debtline is a debt charity providing free, confidential and impartial advice and a library of online resources – including an information pack, personal budget planning, sample letters and information that will allow you to determine whether you qualify for a debt relief order. Visit the National Debtline library to view a range of fact sheets.

Debt Action Northern Ireland

Debt Action Northern Ireland is a project ran by Advice Northern Ireland which offers free, confidential and impartial debt and money advice.

Consumer Line

A one stop shop offering free help and advice to Northern Ireland consumers.

Payplan

Payplan offers a fresh approach to dealing with financial difficulties. We are proud to be the UK’s largest provider of free debt solutions, including free debt management plans and Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs).

The Money Advice Service

A service set up by the government to give free advice, unbiased, independent advice.

Important leaflet – What to do now if your debt management plan has stopped.

Financial Ombudsman Service

The Financial Ombudsman Service was set up by law to resolve individual disputes between consumers and financial services businesses. It can deal with complaints about a wide range of financial and money matters, from insurance and mortgages to investments and credit. And it covers complaints about debt collection where the debt relates to consumer credit or hire, when a complaint can be brought by the person owing the money – or by someone who has been pursued for a debt owed by someone else.

The business (debt collector) concerned should be given the chance to look into the complaint first – and has up to eight weeks in which to do this. But if the consumer (usually the borrower) is not satisfied with its response they can refer their complaint to the ombudsman service. The service is independent and impartial – it looks carefully at both sides of the story and weighs up all the evidence before reaching a conclusion.

If the ombudsman service decides the business has treated the consumer fairly it will explain why. But if it decides that the business has acted wrongly – and the person complaining has lost out – then it has the power to order matters to be put right.

You can find out more about the ombudsman at www.financial-ombudsman.org.uk

Civil Legal Advice

Legal aid can help you pay for legal advice, family mediation and representation in court and some tribunals. This could include help for housing, debt, family or education problems. You can also get legal aid if you’re accused of a crime.

Money Advice Scotland

Money Advice Scotland (MAS) is the national umbrella organisation which promotes the development of free, independent, impartial, confidential money (debt) advice and financial inclusion. The organisation is a registered charity, with clear charitable objectives.

DEALING WITH A LOSS

Continued Path

The Continued Path website offers links to free, independent support organisations as well as practical advice for survivors in the areas of heath & wellness, wills & probate and estates & finance. This site is designed purely to provide an objective online resource, available at the visitor’s convenience with useful information including definitions for common terms associated with the probate process.

HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO DEBT

Counselling Directory

Counselling Directory provides a huge support network of counsellors, enabling visitors to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.

welldoing.org is an independent, UK-wide directory of therapists and counsellors who are all members of reputable professional organisations. It also supplies information and advice in the areas of mental health, wellbeing and self-development

DATA PROTECTION

Information Commissioner

The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to promote access to official information and to protect personal information

DEBT AND MENTAL HEALTH

A free 44-page PDF booklet supported by Mind, Rethink, CAPUK and others, for people with mental health problems and those caring for them.

It covers how to handle debts when unwell, work with banks, free debt counselling, specific tips for bipolar disorder or depression sufferers, whether to declare a condition and more. View the guide

MENTAL HEALTH

A free 44-page PDF booklet supported by Mind, Rethink, CAPUK and others, for people with mental health problems and those caring for them.

It covers how to handle debts when unwell, work with banks, free debt counselling, specific tips for bipolar disorder or depression sufferers, whether to declare a condition and more. View the guide