Take control of your money by understanding interest

Whether you’re borrowing money or trying to save for the future, interest can play a big role in the decisions you make. Understanding it can help you make better choices, make the most of the earnings on your savings, and avoid repaying more…

Rising Use of Bailiffs for Council Tax Debt

The use of bailiffs to recover unpaid council tax has increased significantly in recent years. Bailiff action can be stressful and confusing, and many people struggle to find clear, accessible support. This rise has prompted questions about why enforcement has…

Myth busting: Common misunderstandings about debt

Debt can feel complicated enough without myths, assumptions or misinformation getting in the way. These myths can increase stress, cause confusion and even stop people from getting the help they need.This guide breaks down some of the most common debt…

Debt Relief Order (DRO) – Changes to Qualifying Criteria

New changes to DRO criteria from June 2021From June  2021, new changes were made to the qualifying criteria for Debt Relief Orders (DROs). They included:Raising the maximum debt level for DROs from £20,000 to £30,000Raising the maximum asset levels from £1,000…

Can You Get a Mortgage With an Outstanding Debt?

In a word, yes. Regardless of the myth that arrears of any kind will ruin your chances, you may still be able to get a mortgage whilst having an outstanding debt.When applying for a mortgage, you’ll need to come across…

Do you Pay Tax on Redundancy Pay?

Redundancy can be a difficult time, especially if you loved your job and it was bringing in a suitable income for your lifestyle. Find out how redundancy can affect you when it comes to tax and other factors. What is redundancy…

How Much Debt do I Need to File Bankruptcy?

What is bankruptcy?Bankruptcy is a debt solution suitable for people who cannot pay outstanding bills to their creditors on time. When an individual’s total debts are bigger than the value of their assets, they will be deemed insolvent and in a…

How to Save Money This Christmas & Avoid the Debt Hangover in 2020

Christmas is a time when spending can easily get out of control. Even if you haven’t been extravagant, it takes a lot of planning and budgeting to avoid the January Christmas debt hangover. In January last year, around 7.9 million people…

How often does your credit score change?

Your credit score is very important; it’s essentially the first thing that any potential lenders are going to look at when deciding whether or not you’re a reliable person to lend money to. If you’ve got a good score, you’ll…

What’s the Difference Between APR and AER?

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of technical terms in the money world, ‘APR’ and ‘AER’ for example. The two get tossed around a lot together, so it’s important to know which is which.What is APR?APR stands for…

What is representative APR?

Whenever you apply for a loan or finance, you’ll come across the term APR, which stands for Annual Percentage Rate. If you borrow any money, the APR is simply the amount of interest that’ll be added to the total amount…

Can a Debt Management Plan Take My Pension?

What is a DMP?A Debt Management Plan (DMP for short), is a way for you to pay back your unsecured debt in manageable instalments.DMPs are one of the most common debt solutions in the UK, and are authorised and regulated…

How Effective Are Debt Management Plans?

 What is a DMP?How effective are Debt Management Plans? A Debt Management Plan (DMP for short), is a way for you to pay back your unsecured personal debt. Usually set up and managed by a debt management company or a debt…

What is a CCJ?

A County Court Judgement (CCJ) is a court order that can be awarded against you if you live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland. The purpose of a CCJ is to get you to repay money that you owe. Will…

How successful are IVAs?

Important Update (June 2025):This blog was originally published in 2019. Since then, there have been important updates to IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) protocols and guidance. While much of the information below may still be useful, some details may now be…

How do debt management companies work?

Important Update (June 2025):This blog was originally published in 2019. Since then, there have been important updates to IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) protocols and guidance. While much of the information below may still be useful, some details may now be…

Can I claim PPI if on a Debt Management Plan?

Are you in a Debt Management Plan? Do you feel as though at some point you’ve been missold Payment Protection Insurance (PPI)? The good news is that yes – you can claim PPI on a DMP.Regardless of what claims management…