If you are struggling with debt, the most important first step is to contact a free, regulated debt advice service. They can help in ways a general tool cannot.
Ask Fin is not a debt advice service.
Ask Fin provides general educational information only. It cannot provide regulated debt advice, negotiate with creditors, set up debt management plans, or provide legal support around debt.
For regulated debt advice — always free — please contact one of the services listed below.
These services are free, confidential and provided by trained debt advisers. They can help with options Ask Fin cannot — including creditor negotiation, debt management plans and legal protections.
Free, confidential debt advice and debt management plans.
0800 138 1111
Free debt advice by phone and online. Independent and confidential.
0808 808 4000
Free advice on debt, benefits and more. Online, by phone or in person.
0800 144 8848
Government-backed money guidance. Includes a debt advice locator.
0800 138 7777
Once you have spoken to a debt adviser or are looking for general educational tools to help understand your finances, Ask Fin's tools may be useful as a supplement — not a replacement — to professional debt advice.
Learn about the snowball and avalanche methods. Compare approaches to understand which might suit your situation — for education only, not debt advice.
Understand where your money goes. A clear budget can help you identify what is available for debt repayments.
Find unused subscriptions and repeat payments that could free up extra money each month.
If debt is putting pressure on your finances, it may be worth checking whether any benefit areas apply to your situation.
Snowball and avalanche methods are two common approaches to debt repayment that people find useful to understand. The snowball method focuses on clearing the smallest balance first to build momentum. The avalanche method focuses on the highest interest rate first to minimise total interest paid. Neither is right or wrong — the best approach depends on your full financial situation and personality. Ask Fin's Debt Reduction tool explains both approaches for educational purposes only.
What debt advisers can do that Ask Fin cannot: negotiate directly with creditors to pause interest or reduce payments, set up a legally binding Debt Management Plan, advise on Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs), help with Breathing Space (a legal protection that pauses creditor action), advise on bankruptcy or Debt Relief Orders, and provide legally regulated debt advice.
If a debt collector contacts you, you have rights. You can find clear information about what debt collectors can and cannot do through Citizens Advice and the FCA.
You can also look up specific debt collection companies in our Lender Details section — including FCA registration, contact details and public sentiment information.
If you are working with a debt adviser and want general tools for budgeting and understanding your finances, Ask Fin can help as a supplement — not a replacement.
Start for £4.99/monthGeneral guidance only. Not regulated debt advice. Always use a free debt advice service for debt-related decisions.