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Our fact sheet library

Using our fact sheet library

Our fact sheets give advice and information on a wide range of debt issues and options to deal with your debt. They are useful if you want to read more information on a specific topic. Our fact sheet library shows our full list of fact sheets. They have been separated into categories to help you.

  • Choose the country where you live at the top of the page to find the right fact sheets for you.
  • Click on the headings to reveal the list of fact sheets in each category or use the search box if you need to find something specific.
Use this input to search through our fact sheets.
  • Business debts

    What to do if you have ceased trading and have business debts. Advice for people who are no longer trading.

  • Council tax arrears

    Help to understand what a council can do to recover council tax arrears | Free council tax bailiff advice.

  • County Court bailiffs

    How to stop bailiffs coming into your home and what to do if you receive a warrant of control. Free advice on dealing with County Court bailiffs.

  • High Court enforcement

    Advice on what to do if you are visited by a high court bailiff. Help on dealing with debts enforced by the High Court.

  • Magistrates' court fines

    Fines are a priority debt because the magistrates' court has the power to send you to prison for non-payment | Free court fine advice.

  • Penalty charge notices

    Penalty charge notices (PCN) for parking explained. Free help and advice on parking fines from National Debtline.

  • Bailiff complaints

    How to complain about a bailiff. What to do if you have a complaint or a dispute with a private bailiff.

  • Claims management companies

    Dealing with claims management companies. Advice on who they are and what they do.

  • Complaining about your lender

    How to complain about your lender, including banks, payday lenders and debt collection agencies | When to complain to the Financial Ombudsman Service.

  • Credit agreements - getting information

    Know your rights when asking for information about your credit agreement. Advice on how to ask for the information and how your creditors must behave.

  • Dealing with fraud

    Advice on how to deal with fraud and how to prevent it | Information on different types of fraud | What to do if you have been the victim of a scam

  • Harassment by creditors

    Are you being harassed by your creditors? Find out how to deal with harassment and how to complain about a creditors behaviour.

  • Persistent debt

    Persistent debt is when a person has paid more in interest, fees and charges, than they have towards paying off their credit card, store card, or catalogue account

  • Statute barred debts

    Statute barred debts | Time limits for recovering debts

  • Administration orders

    ​Advice on county court administration orders and their advantages | Free administration order advice from National Debtline

  • Attachment of earnings orders

    What is an attachment of earnings order? | Free advice on attachment of earnings orders in the county court.

  • Charging orders

    A charging order is a court order that secures a creditors debt to your home. They can only do this if they already have a CCJ against you.

  • County Court bailiffs

    How to stop bailiffs coming into your home and what to do if you receive a warrant of control. Free advice on dealing with County Court bailiffs.

  • Defending a CCJ

    How to defend a county court claim if you do not owe the money being claimed. Advice on defending a CCJ.

  • Help with court fees

    Work out whether you are entitled to help with paying court fees | How much will I have to pay? Can I pay in installments?

  • High Court enforcement

    Advice on what to do if you are visited by a high court bailiff. Help on dealing with debts enforced by the High Court.

  • Hire purchase debt

    Help with hire purchase and conditional sale agreements. What to do if you cannot keep up with your hire purchase payments and face repossession.

  • Interest on a CCJ

    There are different ways that creditors can add interest to a county court judgment (CCJ). Free advice on when this can happen.

  • Magistrates' court fines

    Fines are a priority debt because the magistrates' court has the power to send you to prison for non-payment | Free court fine advice.

  • Pre-action protocol in the County Court

    The pre-action protocol describes how all parties are expected to behave, and the actions you should take, before a money claim is started.

  • Replying to a County Court claim

    You have just over two weeks to reply to a County Court claim, you can make an offer to repay in installments, pay in full or dispute the debt.

  • Setting aside a CCJ

    Free advice on setting aside a County Court Judgment (CCJ) including how to complete an N244 court form.

  • Time orders for mortgages

    Advice on asking the court for more time to pay your mortgage or secured loan | Time order | National Debtline

  • Time orders on hire purchase

    Advice on asking the court for more time to pay your hire purchase agreement | Avoiding repossession of your vehicle

  • Time orders on unsecured debt

    Advice on asking the court for more time to pay your unsecured credit.

  • Varying a CCJ

    How to vary payments on a county court judgment when you can't afford to pay. Guide to stopping enforcement. Free advice on budgeting.

  • Credit agreements - getting information

    Know your rights when asking for information about your credit agreement. Advice on how to ask for the information and how your creditors must behave.

  • Credit reference agencies

    A guide to credit reference agencies and credit reports. Credit scoring explained, how long your information is held, and how to get it removed

  • Breathing space

    Breathing space will give you time to seek debt advice and try to find a debt solution. See if it’s a good option for you.

  • Credit agreements - getting information

    Know your rights when asking for information about your credit agreement. Advice on how to ask for the information and how your creditors must behave.

  • Credit reference agencies

    A guide to credit reference agencies and credit reports. Credit scoring explained, how long your information is held, and how to get it removed

  • Debts after death

    What to do if someone dies and has debts? Who to tell and how to deal with the creditors of someone who has died.

  • Payday loans

    Find out what to do if you cannot pay your payday loan. How to cancel your continuous payment authority with your bank or payday loan lender

  • Persistent debt

    Persistent debt is when a person has paid more in interest, fees and charges, than they have towards paying off their credit card, store card, or catalogue account

  • Refused offers

    What to do if a creditor refuses your offer of payment. Help if your creditor has refused to freeze interest and charges.

  • Safe bank accounts

    What is a safe bank account and how can I get one? Advice on safe bank accounts and basic bank accounts and how to open one.

  • Statute barred debts

    Statute barred debts | Time limits for recovering debts

  • Administration orders

    ​Advice on county court administration orders and their advantages | Free administration order advice from National Debtline

  • Bankruptcy

    Advice on bankruptcy and whether it is the right option for you. Advice on the bankruptcy process including costs and the impact on your assets.

  • Bankruptcy and foreign issues

    Can I make myself bankrupt in England or Wales if I live abroad? Advice on bankruptcy when living abroad.

  • Debt consolidation

    What is debt consolidation? Should I get a loan to consolidate my debts? Advice on what to look out for if you want to consolidate your debts.

  • Debt management plans

    Debt management plans (DMP) help you to manage your debts by making one payment to all of your debts at a rate you can afford. How to get a free DMP.

  • Debt relief orders

    Debt relief orders. A debt relief order (DRO) may help you if you do not own your own home, have few assets and little available income to pay to your creditors.

  • Equity release

    Free advice on equity release | Understand the advantages and disadvantages of equity release and the things you should consider | National Debtline

  • Full and final settlement offers

    Advice on how to make a full and final settlement offer to your creditors. Making lump sum offers to your debt.

  • Help from charitable organisations

    Information on charities and trust funds that will help you to clear some your debt. Advice on organisations that can help you to clear urgent debts

  • Individual voluntary arrangements

    Individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) allow you to pay some of your debt over 5 years with the rest being written off. Is this the right option for you?

  • Pension freedoms and debt

    Information and advice on pension freedoms and debts. Find out how tax and benefits could be affected by taking money from your pension pot.

  • Selling assets to clear debt

    Should you sell assets to clear debt? | Advice on clearing debt on a low income | Information on when you don’t have the right to sell an asset

  • Ways to clear your debt

    Ways to clear your debt · Find the best option for you · ​Negotiating with your creditors · Free debt management plan (DMP) · Individual voluntary arrangement (IVA).

  • Write off debt

    Free advice on writing off debts. Find out what circumstances mean you can ask a creditors to write off your debts, and how to go about it.

  • Benefit overpayments under the Universal Credit System

    Advice on what a benefit overpayment under the Universal Credit System is, how the overpayment can be challenged and how the debt can be recovered.

  • Bill of sale

    If you miss payments on your logbook loan your vehicle can be repossessed. Free advice on dealing with logbook loan debt.

  • Business debts

    What to do if you have ceased trading and have business debts. Advice for people who are no longer trading.

  • DWP benefit overpayments

    Advice on what a DWP legacy benefit overpayment is, how the overpayment can be challenged and how the debt can be recovered.

  • Hire purchase debt

    Help with hire purchase and conditional sale agreements. What to do if you cannot keep up with your hire purchase payments and face repossession.

  • Housing Benefit overpayments

    Advice on what a Housing Benefit overpayment is, how the overpayment can be challenged and how the debt can be recovered.

  • Mortgage shortfalls

    Money you still owe to your mortgage or secured loan lender after your property has been sold, is called a 'mortgage shortfall'. Free debt advice

  • Parking charge notices

    What to do if you have received a parking ticket or parking charge notice for parking on private land.

  • Payday loans

    Find out what to do if you cannot pay your payday loan. How to cancel your continuous payment authority with your bank or payday loan lender

  • Penalty charge notices

    Penalty charge notices (PCN) for parking explained. Free help and advice on parking fines from National Debtline.

  • Persistent debt

    Persistent debt is when a person has paid more in interest, fees and charges, than they have towards paying off their credit card, store card, or catalogue account

  • Tax credit overpayments

    Advice on what a tax credit overpayment is, how the overpayment can be challenged and how the debt can be recovered.

  • Time orders on hire purchase

    Advice on asking the court for more time to pay your hire purchase agreement | Avoiding repossession of your vehicle

  • Administration orders

    ​Advice on county court administration orders and their advantages | Free administration order advice from National Debtline

  • Bankruptcy

    Advice on bankruptcy and whether it is the right option for you. Advice on the bankruptcy process including costs and the impact on your assets.

  • Bankruptcy and foreign issues

    Can I make myself bankrupt in England or Wales if I live abroad? Advice on bankruptcy when living abroad.

  • Debt relief orders

    Debt relief orders. A debt relief order (DRO) may help you if you do not own your own home, have few assets and little available income to pay to your creditors.

  • Individual voluntary arrangements

    Individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) allow you to pay some of your debt over 5 years with the rest being written off. Is this the right option for you?

  • Statutory demands

    Advice on what to do if you have received a statutory demand. How to set aside a statutory demand and what to do if you are running out of time.

  • Advice if you are worried about losing your home

    Free advice on what to do if you are homeless or worried about losing your home | National Debtline

  • Debt and mental health

    Free advice on how debt and mental health can affect each other. What options do you have if you are in debt and have a mental health problem?

  • Debts after death

    What to do if someone dies and has debts? Who to tell and how to deal with the creditors of someone who has died.

  • Making the most of your money

    Find out how you can save money on your essential bills and make the most of your money

  • Repaying student loans

    Work out when you might have to pay your student loan. Advice on when your student loan may be written off.

  • Saving money

    Work out the best ways to save money and how to reach your savings goal | National Debtline

  • Student money and debt

    How to manage your money when you are a student. How to work out a budget and choose the right bank account.

  • Mortgage shortfalls

    Money you still owe to your mortgage or secured loan lender after your property has been sold, is called a 'mortgage shortfall'. Free debt advice

  • Statute barred debts

    Statute barred debts | Time limits for recovering debts