Debts

By appointment we can:

Check that you are the person who pays the bill

Advise about the relative priorities of each debt and the kind of penalties involved
Help you work out a regular budget so that you and your family can afford essential living expenses
Discuss the options that you have to deal with your creditors
Help you negotiate with your creditors to achieve an agreed settlement
Help you prepare a financial statement which shows a full picture of income, expenditure suggested repayment schedule
Help you deal with any Court actions which may arise

You may prefer to deal with the problem yourself - in which case the CAB can provide information, advice and assistance you require.

You need to:

Bring Details of your normal weekly or monthly spending. This should include food, rent/mortgage, gas, electricity, telephone, petrol etc. We shall also need to ask about bills you pay less frequently such as water charges, council tax, car tax, and all insurances. You need to think about the amounts you spend on clothes and personal items. It is useful to bring actual bills you have paid for these and similar items over the last year.
It will speed the process if you can list all the people and organisations to whom you owe money - even those where you have managed to keep up with the payments. Make a special note of any debts which are secured on your home or other goods (hire purchase). Indicate whether anyone else also signed for any of the loans or agreements.
We will need the name, address and account number for each creditor together with the amount that you owe. The easiest way is for you to bring the original agreement and any other bills and correspondence with you together with any letters from credit agencies and the Court

If you just want advice and support from the CAB it is not neccessary to bring all these items with you.

Useful Links

National Debtline - telephone helpline (0808 808 4000)

TaxAid free advice for tax problems (020 7624 3768)