ARTICLES
Every debt topic, written plainly.
Deep-dives on the concepts, letters, credit-file mechanics and legal moves behind UK debt. Written for real people, not clients of a service. Read them in order or dip in to what you need.
Debt Solutions
5 piecesDebt Relief Order (DRO) UK 2026: Eligibility, Risks and Alternatives
How the 2026 DRO rules actually work: £50,000 debt limit, £75 spare income, £2,000 assets, DRRO risk, PARV, and when a DRO is not the right route.
How Does StepChange Make Money? · What to Know Before You Call
StepChange is free to callers, so where does the money come from? Fair Share Contributions, IVA fees and the funding structure of the UK's largest debt charity, from primary accounts.
Is a Debt Management Plan Worth It? Rules, Costs and Alternatives
Considering a DMP? Understand what a debt management plan does, what it costs, credit-file impact, priority-debt exclusions, and safer alternatives.
Bankruptcy UK · Rules, Risks and Options
Bankruptcy can write off many debts, but it affects your home, car, bank account, job and credit file. Learn the £680 fee, the 12 month process, what is not written off, and which alternatives to compare first.
Before You Sign an IVA · Risks and Options
Thinking about an IVA? Learn the hidden risks, fees, credit impact, public register, failure risks and alternative UK debt options to consider first.
Statute Barred and Old Debt
1 pieceMoney Habits
1 pieceDebt Collectors
5 piecesDebt Collector Pressure Tactics UK · How to Recognise Them and Shut Them Down
Debt collector letters and calls are designed to prompt a response. This article, using FCA, GOV.UK, ICO and RCPsych sources, sets out what collectors can and cannot do, how to recognise pressure language, and how to limit contact the right way.
How Debt Collectors Buy Debt UK · Prices and Rules
How UK debt purchase actually works, what listed buyers have historically paid per pound of face value, the legal mechanism behind an assignment, and what changes for you when a defaulted account is sold.
Partial Settlement UK · What to Check Before You Say Yes
Got a partial settlement offer from a creditor or debt collector? Learn what to check, what to get in writing and when to pause before paying.
Why Debt Collectors Settle for Less UK · Explained
Why does a debt collector offer to accept less than the balance? What happens to a debt after default, why a lower figure can suit the other side, and what to check before you respond.
Should You Call or Write to a Debt Collector in the UK?
Why replying in writing protects you, when a call may help, and what to check before you agree to pay a debt collector.
Homeowners
2 piecesCharging Orders UK · How to Stop One
Worried about a debt being secured on your home? Learn how charging orders work in the UK, the 28-day objection window, what a final order means, and when an order for sale is possible.
Order for Sale UK · Can You Stop It
A charging order is not the same as an order for sale. Learn how the second court claim works, the 14 day acknowledgement deadline, what the court weighs up, and how to reduce the risk.
Borrowing
3 piecesBNPL Rules 2026 UK · What Changes and What Doesn't
From 15 July 2026 the FCA regulates third-party BNPL as Deferred Payment Credit. What changes, what still is not covered, and what to check if you already use Klarna or Clearpay.
Buying a House With a Partner in the UK · The Debt You Both Take On
A joint mortgage is the biggest secured debt most people ever sign. Joint and several liability, the common law marriage myth, and why joint tenants vs tenants in common changes what happens if things go wrong.
Debt Consolidation Loans UK: Pros, Cons & Risks
What a debt consolidation loan really does to your debts, the FCA rules on affordability and representative APR, credit file impact, and what to check before you sign.
Credit Cards
1 pieceCreditor Letters
1 pieceCredit Rating
3 piecesIs Your Credit Score Really That Important When You're Struggling Financially?
Millions cut essentials to protect a credit score. UK guide using CRC, MAT and FCA sources: when your score matters, when it is a distraction, and how a file rebuilds.
Can Bad Credit Affect Getting a Job in the UK? · What Employers Actually See
Most UK employers do not check credit files. Where they do (FCA, SRA, security vetting, police) here is what they actually see, when it is allowed, and how to prepare.
Partial Settlement UK · Credit Score Impact 2026
Will a partial settlement hurt your UK credit score? Learn how partially settled debts show on your credit file, how long they stay, and what to check before you pay.
Debt Management
1 pieceCar Finance
3 piecesHow Car Finance Works in the UK: A 2026 Guide (HP, PCP, Loans and Your Legal Rights)
Over 2 million UK cars are bought on finance a year. Understand HP, PCP, PCH and personal loans, who owns the car, what happens if you fall behind, and your rights under the Consumer Credit Act 1974.
Is PCP Car Finance a Good Idea? A UK 2026 Guide
Thinking about PCP car finance? Understand the maths, the mileage traps, negative equity, the FCA £830 DCA redress scheme, and every legal way out under the Consumer Credit Act.
Mis-Sold Car Finance UK: Are You Owed £830? The FCA Redress Scheme Explained (2026)
The FCA redress scheme covers 12.1 million car finance agreements taken out between 6 April 2007 and 1 November 2024, with average compensation around £830. Check if you qualify, how the payout is worked out, why the scheme is currently paused, and how to file the claim yourself for free.
Bankruptcy
1 pieceWant help applying this to your situation?
The Get Help hub explains the paid options, from a £27.50 Clarity Call to a £99 Letter Audit. Or start with the free Budget Planner to work out what you can actually afford.