1. Protect priority bills
Rent, mortgage, council tax, energy, court fines, child maintenance and essential insurance need attention before unsecured-credit optimisation.
If repayments are not affordable
2. Stop adding expensive credit
Do not use a payday loan, cash withdrawal, overdraft or new card to make an unaffordable debt look current for one more month.
3. List the facts
Write balance, lender, APR, minimum payment, arrears, next due date and whether it is priority or non-priority.
4. Contact free debt help
A trained debt adviser can talk through options such as payment plans, breathing space, debt management, insolvency routes and benefit checks.
5. Tell creditors early
If you cannot pay, contact lenders before the missed payment where possible. Keep notes of dates, names and agreements.
6. Ignore shame-based urgency
Debt is a system problem to triage. Panic usually leads to worse borrowing and poorer records.
Decision line
When not to use the calculators
If minimum payments are unaffordable, priority bills are at risk, or you are borrowing to make repayments, use free debt advice before opening another product or moving debt around.