StepChange Debt Charity
Free debt advice online and by phone. Can help assess possible debt solutions and repayment routes.
Criteria to check: income, expenditure, debt type, affordability, country and suitability of each solution.
Open StepChangeFinancial hardship signposting
Hardship help, grants, debt advice and mental-health support routes.
This page brings together reputable UK support routes for people under financial pressure. It is signposting only. Clearfile can help organise correspondence and evidence, but regulated debt advice, legal advice, benefits decisions, crisis support and court decisions must come from the relevant free advice provider, official body or court.
Free debt adviceCouncil helpGrantsCourt fee helpMental-health support
Need urgent help now?
If there is immediate danger to life, serious self-harm risk, violence, fire, a medical emergency or someone feels unable to stay safe, call 999 or go to A&E.
For urgent mental-health help in England, use NHS 111 and select the mental-health option. Samaritans can be called on 116 123. Shout provides confidential text support by texting SHOUT to 85258.
First practical steps
- Prioritise rent, mortgage, council tax, energy, court orders, child maintenance and other priority debts.
- Do not ignore claim forms, judgments, warrants, bailiff letters or court deadlines.
- Keep evidence: income, benefits, rent, bills, bank statements, medical/vulnerability evidence, creditor letters and court papers.
- Use a free debt adviser before agreeing to a formal debt solution or court variation.
Important: this page is information and signposting only. It is not legal advice, debt advice, benefits advice or crisis counselling.
Free debt and money advice
Use these organisations when someone needs independent or charity-based debt help, especially before entering Breathing Space, a debt management plan, DRO, IVA, bankruptcy, court variation, full-and-final settlement or repayment plan.
National Debtline
Free confidential debt advice, webchat and self-help resources covering debt, CCJs, bailiffs and budgeting.
Criteria to check: residence area, debt type, court status and whether the matter is personal or business.
Open National Debtline
Citizens Advice
Advice on debt, benefits, bailiffs, court claims, rent, council tax, consumer rights and local support.
Criteria to check: local availability, subject area, urgency and whether specialist advice is needed.
Open Citizens Advice
MoneyHelper
Government-backed money guidance, budgeting tools and debt-information pathways.
Criteria to check: guidance is general. Use a free regulated debt adviser for personalised debt-solution advice.
Open MoneyHelper
Christians Against Poverty
Free debt help and budgeting support through local UK centres and churches.
Criteria to check: local centre availability, appointment access and individual circumstances.
Open CAP UK
Mental Health & Money Advice
Specialist information where money problems and mental health are affecting each other.
Useful where: debt, benefits, work capability, anxiety, depression or crisis treatment overlap.
Open Mental Health & Money AdviceCouncil, benefits, grants and emergency-cost routes
Eligibility is often local and evidence-based. Keep proof of income, rent, bills, medical needs, children in the household, benefit awards, bank statements and the event that caused the crisis.
RouteWhat it can help withTypical criteria to checkLink
Crisis and Resilience FundLocal council crisis or preventative support in England from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029.Low income, financial shock, vulnerability, local council rules and available funding.GOV.UK guidance
Council Tax ReductionReduction in council tax for people on low income or certain benefits.Local scheme, household income, savings, benefits, partner income, children and other adults in the property.Apply via GOV.UK
Discretionary Housing PaymentExtra help with rent shortfalls, rent deposits or rent in advance where housing support does not cover costs.Usually requires Housing Benefit or Universal Credit housing costs and a rent shortfall or housing need.DHP guidance
Benefits calculatorsChecks possible entitlement to Universal Credit, housing support and other means-tested help.Income, savings, rent, household members, disability, childcare, work status and existing benefits.GOV.UK calculators
Turn2us Grants SearchSearches charitable grants based on circumstances, occupation, health, age, location or background.Grant fund rules, income, household situation, occupation history, health condition and evidence requested.Search grants
Food bank referralEmergency food support where a household cannot afford essentials.Local referral route, crisis need, household size, dietary needs and local availability.Trussell help
Shelter housing helpHousing, eviction, rent arrears, homelessness and disrepair information.Tenancy type, court stage, notice type, household vulnerability and local authority homelessness duties.Open Shelter
Utilities, energy and household bills
These routes can reduce ongoing bills or help with arrears. Check eligibility before assuming support is available.
Broadband and phone social tariffs
Discounted broadband or phone tariffs for some people on qualifying benefits.
Criteria to check: supplier participation, Universal Credit or other qualifying benefit, identity checks and contract terms.
Check Ofcom social tariffs
Warm Home Discount
Annual electricity-bill discount for eligible households, with rules depending on country and supplier participation.
Criteria to check: qualifying benefits, property/energy-cost rules, supplier participation and scheme dates.
Check Warm Home Discount
Energy debt grants
Energy supplier hardship funds and charity funds may help clear gas or electricity debt.
Criteria to check: supplier, debt amount, money-advice requirement, income, vulnerability and whether the fund is open.
Open energy grants
WaterSure and water support
WaterSure may cap bills for some households in England and Wales. Water companies may also have hardship schemes.
Criteria to check: water meter, qualifying benefits, high essential water use, medical needs or three or more children.
Check WaterSureCourt and enforcement routes to know about
These routes may be relevant where there is a court claim, judgment, warrant, application fee barrier or enforcement risk. They are not suitable for every case. Get free debt advice before applying where possible.
Breathing Space debt respite
For England and Wales, standard Breathing Space can give temporary protection from creditor contact, enforcement, interest and charges while debt advice is obtained. Mental Health Crisis Breathing Space may apply during qualifying crisis treatment.
Criteria to check: problem debt, England/Wales residence, debt-adviser assessment, excluded debts and, for the mental-health route, evidence of qualifying crisis treatment.
Read Breathing SpaceHelp with court and tribunal fees
Form EX160 / Help with Fees may reduce or remove a court or tribunal fee where someone has little or no savings, receives certain benefits or has low income.
Criteria to check: savings, income, qualifying benefits, fee type and evidence required.
Apply for fee helpForm N245: vary payment or suspend warrant
Used to ask the court to change what is being paid under a court order or to suspend a warrant where payments are unaffordable.
Criteria to check: judgment/order details, warrant status, income and expenditure, affordable offer and fee help.
Open N245Form N244: application notice
Used for court applications such as asking to set aside or vary a judgment, seek directions or suspend certain enforcement processes.
Criteria to check: application reason, urgency, evidence, witness statement/draft order needs and fee help.
Open N244Mental-health support linked to money pressure
Money pressure can worsen anxiety, depression, sleep, panic and crisis risk. Support should be treated as part of the hardship route, not a separate issue.
NHS urgent mental-health help
Use NHS urgent-help pages where there is immediate mental-health deterioration, crisis-team need or uncertainty about where to go.
Use urgently if: someone may harm themselves, cannot stay safe, is in acute distress or needs same-day assessment.
Open NHS guidanceMind
Guidance on crisis planning, mental-health helplines, benefits, money problems and how to seek support.
Useful where: stress, anxiety, depression, benefits, work capability or creditor pressure is affecting daily functioning.
Open Mind crisis guidance
Samaritans
Free listening support on 116 123. A person does not need to be suicidal to call.
Useful where: someone feels overwhelmed, isolated, ashamed, panicked or unable to cope with creditor pressure.
Contact Samaritans
Shout 85258
Free 24/7 confidential text support. Text SHOUT to 85258.
Useful where: speaking on the phone is difficult or someone needs discreet text support during acute stress.
Open ShoutEvidence to gather before asking for hardship help
- Latest income proof, benefit letters or wage slips
- Rent, mortgage, council tax, energy, water and food costs
- Bank statements showing hardship or income drop
- Medical or vulnerability evidence where relevant
- Children, caring responsibilities or disability-related costs
- Creditor letters, court papers, enforcement notices and dates
How Clearfile can fit around this
Clearfile can help keep the correspondence and evidence trail tidy: who was contacted, what was asked for, what proof was sent, what deadlines apply and what response was received.
For regulated advice, debt-solution recommendations, court strategy, benefits entitlement decisions or crisis counselling, use the relevant free advice provider or official body above.