Get help if you’re struggling to pay your bills

If you're still struggling to pay your bills you should contact your energy supplier. Your supplier has to help you find a solution. Talk to them about a payment plan that works for you - this means making payments you can afford over a fixed period of time.

Find out more about agreeing a payment plan.

If you don’t try to agree a plan with your supplier, they might say they’ll disconnect you or switch you to prepayment. This is where you pay for your energy before you use it.

You can:

• check what to do if you’ve been told your energy supply will be disconnected

• check how to stop your supplier switching you to prepayment

You might be able to save money on your energy bills by switching to a different supplier, or to a different tariff with your current supplier. Check if you can switch.

If you’ve got a prepayment meter and you don’t top it up 

Your energy supply might stop.

Check what to do if you can’t afford to top up your prepayment meter.

Check if you can apply for grants and schemes 

You might be able to get help to pay your bills.

Check if you can apply for grants and schemes to help with the cost of your energy bills.

If you're disabled

You might be able to get help with your energy bills. You can check how to get free advice about managing your energy bills on the Scope website.

If you use an oxygen concentrator, you can get money back for the electricity it uses. This is called a 'rebate'. 

If your rebate hasn't been set up, contact the supplier of your concentrator.

If you can’t pay your rent, explain the situation to your landlord straight away. They might give you more time to pay. 

You might be able to get benefits to help with your rent, for example Universal Credit or Housing Benefit. You’ll usually get Universal Credit if you’re under State Pension age. You’ll usually get Housing Benefit if you’re over State Pension age.

Check if you've reached State Pension age on GOV.UK.

You can find out more about dealing with rent arrears.

If you’re already getting Housing Benefit or Universal Credit

If Housing Benefit or Universal Credit doesn't cover all your rent, you can apply for a discretionary housing payment (DHP). A DHP is extra money from your local council to help pay your rent.

You need to be getting Housing Benefit or the housing costs part of Universal Credit to get a DHP.

Contact your local council and ask how to apply for a DHP. You might have to apply by phone or online. You can find out how to contact your local council on GOV.UK.

When you apply, explain why you need a DHP. For example, you should tell them:

• why you can't afford to pay the rent

• why you can't move somewhere cheaper

• if it's causing problems for someone you look after, like a child or elderly relative

• if you have a disability and how this makes it more difficult to pay

You’ll need to send any evidence you have, for example a letter from your doctor or details of debts you're paying off.

It's a good idea to keep a copy of your application. For example, you can take photos of your paper form or print a copy of an online application.

Your local council will decide whether to give you a DHP  - it depends on your situation. If the council decide to give you a DHP, they'll write to tell you:

• how much you'll get

• when the DHP will stop

If you still need a DHP after it stops, you can apply again.

You might be able to pay less council tax or not pay it at all - it depends on your circumstances. 

You might be able to get:

• discounts - for example a single person discount

• Council Tax Reduction - if you have a low income

• a 'discretionary reduction' - you'll normally only get this if you can show you’re suffering severe hardship

Check if you can pay less council tax.

If you’ve missed a council tax payment

If you owe money to the council, you're in 'arrears’. You should contact your council straight away. Ask to speak to someone in the Council Tax office and explain your situation.

You can find out how to contact your local council on GOV.UK. If you ignore council tax arrears, your council might take you to court to get the money. This will also add court costs to the money you owe.

Find out more about dealing with council tax arrears.

Contact your provider and ask what they can do to help. They might agree to:

• reduce your bill

• give you more time to pay

• increase your data or download limit

• move you to a different contract

If your provider won't help you, you might be able to switch to a different provider. If you owe money to your old provider when you switch, you’ll still have to pay the money you owe. 

Find out more about switching to a different provider.

If you’re getting benefits

You might be able to get a cheaper deal called a ‘social tariff’. It depends which benefits you get and where you live. 

You can check which providers offer social tariffs on the Ofcom website.

Talk to your water company as soon as you can. They might:

• let you spread your payments over a longer period

• move you to a cheaper contract

If you don’t speak to your water company, they won’t disconnect you but they might take you to court. You might end up having to pay court costs.

Most water companies have schemes to help you pay your bills - ask your water company when you speak to them. 

Find out more about reducing the cost of your water bill.

If you’re getting benefits

You might be eligible for the WaterSure scheme. This means you won’t pay more than the average bill in your area.

Check if you’re eligible for the WaterSure scheme. 

If you're disabled

You might be eligible for certain discounts and schemes. You can check how to get free advice about managing your water bills on the Scope website.

Ask your mortgage provider for help - they might change the way you pay your mortgage. For example, they might let you make interest-only payments for a while.

Find out more about reducing your mortgage costs.

If you’re behind with your mortgage payments

You’re in ‘arrears’ - this means you owe money to your mortgage provider. 

You need to agree with your mortgage provider a way to pay back what you owe. If you don’t, your mortgage provider might take you to court and try to take your home. They should only do this after exploring all other options with you.

Try to pay as much as you can, even if it’s not the full amount. Your provider can’t take you to court until you owe a total of 3 months' worth of payments. 

Find out more about dealing with mortgage arrears.

If you ask the company or organisation you owe money to, they might reduce or pause your payments. You can:

• check what to do if you’re struggling with credit card bills

• check what to do if you can’t repay a loan

If you tell your lender you can’t pay, they must treat you fairly and take into account your situation. 

If your lender doesn’t help you, you can complain to the Financial Ombudsman. They investigate complaints about organisations which lend money.  Contact the Financial Ombudsman Service on their website.

You might be able to pay less if the repayments mean you can’t afford things  like rent or electricity. 

Contact the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) Debt Management centre and ask them to reduce your payments. Explain the effect the repayments have on your finances. 

Contact the company you have the agreement with. You might be able to get your payments reduced or paused. The company might:

• reduce or stop charging interest on your missed payments 

• change the amount you have to pay back and how long you have to pay it

• allow you to pay a small amount or nothing for a fixed amount of time

You can also end a hire purchase in writing and return your purchase at any time. You might still have to make some payments - it depends how much of the total agreement you've already paid.

You can find out more about ending a hire purchase.

If you're struggling to pay your tax bill, you should speak to HMRC straight away. Explain your situation and ask them if you can spread your payments over a longer period.

You can call them on their income tax helpline.

HMRC income tax helpline

Telephone: 0300 200 3300

Monday to Friday, 8am to 8pm

Saturdays, 8am to 4pm

Calls cost 12p per minute from a landline, and from 3p to 45p from a mobile

If you can’t pay your tax bill, you can read more about what to do on GOV.UK.

If you’re struggling to pay, think about whether you still need the insurance policy. If it’s something you need, contact your insurance provider and explain your situation. Your provider might agree to:

• remove parts of your policy to reduce the cost - for example, cancelling breakdown cover on car insurance

• let you pay over a longer period 

If you've already paid for your insurance and then you change your policy to make it cheaper, you should get a refund of the difference. You might have to pay a fee which will be taken off the refund.

If your insurance provider won’t agree to help

You can complain to an ombudsman. They look into complaints about companies and organisations and can make them help you. 

Find out more about complaining to an ombudsman.