Cost of living: managing your debts
People worried about the cost of living or their debt payment plans are being urged to speak with their trustees, insolvency practitioners, or a debt adviser.
The government understands that people are worried about the impact of rising prices and its effect on household incomes.
The government’s MoneyHelper has lots of free information and resources to help you manage your money in uncertain times and how to keep up with essential bills and payments.
If you are worried about debt, speaking to a trained and experienced debt adviser about your situation could help you decide what to do.
And if you are concerned about missing a payment towards your Individual Voluntary Arrangement, Income Payments Agreement or Income Payments Order having early conversations is the best first step to resolving your money issues and avoiding missing payments.
Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA)
If you are in an IVA, you can ask your supervisor to review your income and expenses to see if you are eligible for a reduction in payments or payment break.
You will be required to provide evidence of your income and expenditure to support a change to your contributions. This could include providing payslips, statement of benefits or utility bills.
Any amendments to your contributions into your IVAs would need to be agreed with your creditors.
Your supervisor has been provided with the latest guidance on adjustments to payments, via the IVA Standing Committee, and they will also be aware of alternative solutions to help you resolve your debt issues and can help you find further information where appropriate.
Income Payments Agreements and Income Payments Orders
If you have an Income Payments Agreement or Income Payments Order, you can ask for a review of your income and expenses to see if you are eligible for a reduction in payments, or payment break.
The spending guidelines have been updated for inflation in the current financial climate and if you feel you need a review, you should contact the organisation you make payments to.
If you pay Advantis, the Official Receiver’s collection agent, you can contact them on:
- phone: 01782 971 404
- email: admin@advantiscredit.co.uk
If you pay the Official Receiver directly, you can contact them on:
- phone: 0300 678 0015
- email: LTADT.IPA@insolvency.gov.uk
If you pay an Insolvency Practitioner or their collection agent, please contact them directly.
Further information can be found in the Guide to Bankruptcy
Other payment agreements
If you currently have an agreement to pay the Official Receiver as trustee in bankruptcy or liquidator of a company, and are concerned about future payments please email the DART Team via dart.post@insolvency.gov.uk.