Work out which debts to deal with first

This is a priority debt because your landlord might evict you from your home if you don’t pay.

Before your landlord can evict you, they’ll need to follow the correct eviction procedure to get a 'possession order' - this says when you have to leave. If you don’t leave by the date on the possession order, your landlord can get sheriff officers to evict you.

Find out how to deal with your rent arrears:

• if you’ve got a private landlord

• if your landlord is a housing association or the local council

These are priority debts because your bank or building society might evict you and take your home if you don’t pay.

Before they can evict you, they’ll need to go to court to get a ‘possession order’ - this says when you have to leave. If you don’t leave by the date on the possession order, your bank or building society can set a date for your eviction and ask sheriff officers to evict you.

Find out how to deal with your mortgage arrears.

This is a priority debt because if you don’t pay, your local council will usually ask the sheriff court to send you a demand for payment. This is called a 'summary warrant'.

Once the council has got a summary warrant, it then needs to send you a demand to pay. This is called a 'charge for payment'. If you don't pay the council tax within the time limit, the council can take steps to get the money from you. For example, the council might be able to take money from your earnings or from your bank account.

Find out how to deal with your council tax arrears.

If the debt is with your current supplier it’s a priority because they might cut off your gas or electricity if you don’t pay. Check what help you can get if you’re struggling to pay your energy bills.

If you’ve missed payments because of coronavirus, you should explain this to your supplier. For example, if your income has been affected by long-term symptoms. They might agree not to disconnect you. 

You should still arrange to pay your supplier what you owe them - this protects you from being disconnected in the future. Check what to do if you’ve been told your energy supply will be disconnected.

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.

These might be priority debts because your supplier can cut off your phone or internet if you don’t pay.

They're only priority debts if it’s really important that you can use a phone or the internet. You might, for example, rely on them because you:

• have a disability or long-term health condition

• need them for your job

• are looking for work

If it’s really important for you to use a phone or the internet, tell your supplier when you contact them.

Find out how to deal with your unpaid phone or internet bills.

This is a priority debt because you could be fined by the sheriff court if you watch TV without a licence. Check if you need a TV licence on the TV Licensing website.

Find out how to deal with court fines.

These are priority debts because strong action can be taken against you if you don't pay. For fines over £500, in rare circumstances, you could be sent to prison if you don't pay. 

You might get a court fine if you commit a crime, for example:

• speeding or breaking other rules while driving 

• watching TV without a TV licence

Find out how to deal with court fines.

HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) will tell you if you’ve been overpaid tax credits.

This is a priority debt because if you don't pay, HMRC can:

• take the money from your wages - this is called a direct earnings arrestment

• take the money from your benefits or tax credits

HMRC will warn you if they’re going to do this but they don’t have to go to court first.

If you have the money but choose not to pay back a tax credits overpayment, HMRC can take you to court. 

Find out how to deal with overpayments of tax credits.

If you buy something on hire purchase or conditional sale, you pay for it in instalments and you don’t own it until you finish paying. If you’re not sure if you bought something on hire purchase or conditional sale, check your contract.

This might be a priority debt because the creditor could take back the goods you bought. If you keep the goods in your home or you’ve paid back more than a third of the cost, the creditor has to go to court to do this.

Hire purchase and conditional sale payments are only priority debts if the goods you bought are really important. For example they might be really important if you need them to:

• get around - such as a car if there’s no public transport

• cook food

• store medicine - such as a fridge

Find out how to deal with missed payments for hire purchase or conditional sale.

These are priority debts because if you don’t pay, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) can:

• take the money from your wages

• go to court to get an attachment order - this can then be enforced by seizing your goods

If you have the money but choose not to pay, HMRC can take you to court. 

Find out how to deal with unpaid income tax, National Insurance or VAT on Business Debtline’s website.

This is a priority debt because the Child Maintenance Service can take the money from your wages or bank accounts if you don’t pay.

They’ll warn you if they’re going to do this but they don’t have to go to court first.

If you have the money but choose not to pay, you could be sent to prison. You won’t go to prison if you can show you can’t pay.

If you don’t pay, the sheriff court can also take away your driving licence or passport for up to two years.

Find out how to deal with unpaid child maintenance.