Advice organisations
If you are experiencing financial difficulty, you may find it helpful to speak to a debt advice organisation for free, confidential and impartial advice. We’ve gathered a list of such organisations below.
HELP WITH YOUR FINANCES
Gamban
Gamban allows you to block gambling across thousands of websites globally, on all of your devices. Gamban is quick and easy to install and is available across all major platforms with on-demand live technical support.
Ask Silver
Ask Silver is a free Scam Checking service. Just send us something you want to check, be it an email, SMS message, advert from social media or anything else, and we will check whether it is a scam and advise you what to do.
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.
Fintellity
Fintellity is powering financial inclusion & wellbeing with a socially responsible ecosystem. Our payment processing and unique affordability algorithm are the foundation of our services to help people with soaring debt and poor credit rebuild their financial profiles, reduce debt with side hustles and get inclusive access to regulated products and services.
Many households are currently facing rising bills due to people spending more time at home. We also know that people are searching for the most impactful things they can do to help with climate change. Bill knows that creating environmental value goes hand in hand with creating financial value for gas, energy, and water users. Bill’s got a simple goal: to make it as easy as possible to get support with money and help you live a sustainable life at home.
The Money Charity
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”.
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 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.
A one stop shop offering free help and advice to Northern Ireland consumers.
Payplan offers a fresh approach to dealing with financial difficulties. Payplan is 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.
IE Hub is a free, online application that makes completing your Income and Expenditure easier and more convenient, allowing you to share your Income and Expenditure information with multiple companies, as well as putting you in control of your financial information.
IE Hub’s added intelligence means you answer the questions that are relevant to your personal circumstances. That means fewer mistakes and a true Income and Expenditure profile, helping you with your credit situation.
I’m worried about Mum supports older people, vulnerable adults and their families to directly access professional advice, accurate information and friendly support.
Support and guidance offered is emotional, practical and tailored to personal needs so that you gain the best outcome for your loved one.
Settld has one simple goal: to remove the stress involved in closing, transferring or freezing the accounts of someone who has died. Utilities, banking, pensions, insurance, TV, broadband, social media…the list goes on. We notify all companies in one go, which means you only have to say it once. And for members of the public, it’s completely free.
At UK Debt Service we specialise in helping people find a solution to overcome problem debt. Our advisers are here to listen, understand all concerns and individual circumstances affecting the debtor and help them understand all options available. We provide advice on all available options and solutions in the UK, so that people can make an informed decision about their financial future. UK Debt Service is a trading style of Dee Valley Finance regulated by the FCA. no: 811106.
Inbest benefits calculator will help you to get a free and impartial assessment of all the benefits you are entitled to and what you have to do to claim them. You can also find organisations that offer free and independent money advice, can answer all your queries regarding your benefits claims and will make sure that your benefits applications are correct.
Policy in Practice Benefits calculator
Policy in Practice Benefits calculator Through just a few simple steps you can see how much benefit you are eligible for and how much better off you might be in work. You can also see how changes in your household budget can affect your income. You can use the calculator for free, but if you want to save and compare calculations, you need to set up an account with us.
GuardianCard is a revolutionary new debit card designed to give you, or your older or vulnerable relatives, a safe, simple and secure solution to managing day to day finances. GuardianCard allows you to issue cards, physical cards or virtual, linked to the account to trusted family members or friends so that they can shop or pay bills on your behalf. You set the spending limit and you keep control of your cash.
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.
Gambling
Gamcare
GamCare operate the National Gambling Helpline and offer confidential information, advice and support for anyone affected by problem gambling in Great Britain. The Helpline is open 24 hours every day on Freephone 0808 8020 133 or via Live Chat. Advisers will listen to you, they won’t judge and your conversation is confidential. For a full range of support options, visit www.gamcare.org.uk.
GAMSTOP
GAMSTOP lets you put controls in place to restrict your online gambling activities.
You will be prevented from using gambling websites and apps run by companies licensed in Great Britain, for a period of your choosing.
HEALTH ISSUES RELATED TO DEBT
Counselling Directory provides a huge support network of counsellors, enabling visitors to find a counsellor close to them and appropriate for their needs.
Welldoing
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
The Information Commissioner’s Office is the UK’s independent authority set up to promote access to official information and to protect personal information
Rightly is a free, independent service that empowers consumers to take control of their data. We provide solutions and advice to help you manage your online life.
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
Help with everything
We believe no-one should struggle alone. We want to see a world where anyone facing crisis can get help when needed, regardless of their personal circumstances.
We help people connect to support.
Created in 2019, With expert input we have categorised and cover over 1,200 common life challenges. The NSN Directory spans topics including health, family, housing, money, relationships, work, crime, pets and loss. Each service we include is available at a national level, providing an opportunity for anyone, anywhere to find support.
CREDIT REFERENCE AGENCIES
Credit reference agencies (CRAs) obtain information from creditors (bank or building society, government department, local authority or utility company etc) and then these creditors make decisions about granting and recovering credit from customers based on the information held by the CRAs. Some of this information will be stated in the credit file the credit reference agency maintains about you. You can ask the credit reference agencies for a copy of your credit file at any time. They may charge a fee for this service. If there is anything incorrect on your credit file, you can ask them to add a “Notice of Correction”. You can find more information about dealing with incorrect entries or your credit history and credit file by contacting the CRA’s below;
The details of the three UK credit reference agencies are as follows:
Experian Plc
Credit Expert
PO Box 7710
Nottingham
NG80 1ZZ
T: 0844 481 8000
www.experian.co.uk
TransUnion Limited
Consumer Services Team
One Park Lane Leeds
West Yorkshire
LS3 1EP
T: 0330 024 7574
www.transunion.co.uk
Equifax Limited
Equifax Ltd Customer Service
PO Box 10036
Leicester
T: 0800 014 2995
T: 0333 321 4043
www.equifax.co.uk