Debt Advice Appointment Checklist

A debt adviser can only recommend the right option once they can see the whole picture, and the whole picture means every debt, every source of income and every essential outgoing. Turning up with part of it usually means a second appointment and weeks of delay you may not have. Gathering the paperwork also has a side benefit: people frequently find the total is smaller, or the options wider, than they feared. Use this checklist before your appointment.

Bring everything, including what you would rather not mention

Advisers need the complete list because the right solution depends on the total, on what you own and on how much is genuinely left each month. Leaving out a debt to a family member, a rent arrear or a benefit overpayment does not make it go away — it produces a recommendation built on the wrong figures, and a debt left off a formal application may not be included when the others are written off.

  • Every creditor: the most recent statement or letter for each, showing the balance, the account number and who is chasing it.
  • All income: payslips, benefit award letters, pension statements, and anything a partner contributes to the household.
  • Essential outgoings: rent or mortgage, council tax, utilities, food, travel to work and childcare, with recent bills or bank statements to support them.

Flag priority debts specifically. Rent and mortgage arrears, council tax, energy, court fines and tax carry consequences the others do not — eviction, bailiffs, disconnection or prosecution — and an adviser will deal with those first regardless of who is shouting loudest.

Free advice is available from Citizens Advice, StepChange and National Debtline. Never pay a firm for debt advice, and be sceptical of anyone who leads with one solution before seeing your figures — their fee may depend on which one you choose.

Documents to bring

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Information to know before you go

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Income and expenditure evidence

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Action items before your appointment

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Helpful organisations

Citizens Advice

Charity

Provides free, confidential, and independent advice on a wide range of issues including benefits, housing, debt, and employment.

Visit website0800 144 8848

Frequently asked questions

Will getting advice damage my credit rating?
Speaking to an adviser does not appear on your credit file and has no effect at all by itself. What can show is what follows — a payment arrangement recorded as reduced payments, a default already registered by a creditor, or a formal insolvency solution, which stays on file for six years. Those consequences generally flow from the debt problem rather than from seeking help, and delaying advice usually makes the credit impact worse rather than better.
Can creditors keep contacting me while I get advice?
They can, but you have options. Breathing Space is a formal scheme, arranged through a debt adviser, that pauses most enforcement action and freezes interest and charges while you work out what to do. Even without it, most creditors will hold action for a period if you tell them you have an appointment booked and give the date. Ask the adviser about Breathing Space at the first appointment, especially if bailiffs or court action are involved.
What should I do if I cannot pay anything at all?
Say so plainly. Advisers deal with negative budgets every day, and there are options: token payments, formally requesting that a creditor writes the debt off on hardship grounds, or a formal solution such as a Debt Relief Order for people with very little income or assets. Before any of that, the adviser will check you are receiving everything you are entitled to — unclaimed benefits and unreduced council tax are extremely common and can change the position substantially.
Should I keep paying my credit cards while I wait?
Priority debts come first, always. If money is short, protect rent or mortgage, council tax, energy and anything with court action attached, and pay non-priority creditors what is left. Paying a credit card minimum while falling behind on rent is the wrong way round, however uncomfortable the calls feel. Do not borrow to make payments and do not use a debt consolidation loan without advice, since it often converts unsecured debt into debt secured on your home.

Related guides

Priority vs Non-Priority Debts

When you are struggling with multiple debts, the most important decision is which to pay first. Not all debts are equal — some carry far more serious consequences than others if left unpaid. Understanding the difference between priority and non-priority debts is the foundation of any debt management strategy and can protect you from losing your home, having your energy cut off, or facing imprisonment.

7 min

Breathing Space (Debt Respite Scheme)

Breathing Space, formally known as the Debt Respite Scheme, gives people in problem debt a legal pause from most creditor action for 60 days. During this period, interest and charges on qualifying debts are frozen, and creditors cannot chase you, take you to court, or send bailiffs. The scheme was introduced in May 2021 and is available in England and Wales.

8 min

Debt Relief Orders

A Debt Relief Order (DRO) is a formal insolvency solution for people with relatively low levels of debt, minimal assets, and very low surplus income. When a DRO is granted, you enter a 12-month moratorium during which creditors cannot take action against you and interest is frozen. At the end of the 12 months, your qualifying debts are written off completely. A DRO can be a powerful fresh start — but it comes with conditions and restrictions.

10 min

Disclaimer

This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute legal, financial, or professional advice. Always check official sources and seek qualified help where needed.