How to prioritise your debts

Financial Health

If you have several debts, you might be feeling overwhelmed. Read more about how to prioritise and work out which debts to pay off first to help you save money and clear your debts faster.

Why it’s important to pay off debts in the right order

The consequences of not paying off some debts before others can be more serious.

So if you’re struggling to make your repayments on time, you need to look at all your debts and split them into:

  • priority debts
  • non-priority debts
  • debt emergencies.

If you’re facing a debt emergency

If you’re facing a sudden emergency, such as:

  • court action
  • bailiff action
  • disconnection
  • eviction for mortgage or rent arrears

Get free, independent debt advice urgently. A debt adviser will be able to talk to the court, bailiff or creditor on your behalf. They will also advise you on what to do next.

Always turn up to a court hearing. It gives you the chance to come to an agreement. If you don’t go, a decision might be made without taking into account information about your situation.

If you are there you can tell the court what’s happening and it might help them to reach a decision that is better for you.

Some courts use advice organisations such as Shelter or Citizens Advice who will be able to give you some last-minute advice on what to do.

If you’re due in court within 24 hours, ask if there is someone you can speak to before your case is heard.

What are priority debts?

Priority debts are those that carry the most serious consequences if you don’t pay them.

These don’t have to be the largest or debts with the most expensive interest rates, but if you don’t pay them it could lead to serious problems.

Priority debts include:

  • court fines
  • Council Tax
  • TV Licence
  • Child maintenance
  • gas and electricity bills
  • Income Tax, National Insurance and VAT
  • mortgage, rent and any loans secured against your home
  • hire purchase agreements, if what you’re buying with them is essential
  • missed payments owed to DWP (Department for Work and Pensions) or HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs).

Why you should pay off priority debts first

The consequences of not paying off priority debts could be:

  • being visited by bailiffs
  • receiving a court summons
  • having your heating or lighting cut off - due to unpaid bills
  • being made bankrupt - because you haven’t paid your bills
  • having your heating or lighting cut off - because you haven’t paid your bills
  • losing your home – because you’re not keeping up with mortgage or rent payments.

What are non-priority debts?

The consequences of not paying non-priority debts are less serious.

If you don’t pay non-priority debts, your creditor could eventually take you to court or instruct bailiffs to collect money from you.

Your non-priority debts include:

  • overdrafts
  • personal loans
  • banks or building society loans
  • money borrowed from friends or family
  • credit card, store card debts or payday loans
  • catalogue, home credit or in-store credit debts

Water and sewerage bills

Water and sewerage bills are treated as non-priority debts but you should include them as essential household outgoings.

They are an ongoing service that you need to pay for.

If you don’t pay at least your current water and sewerage bills, the amount you owe will continue to go up.

How to pay off non-priority debts faster

You must pay at least the minimum payment on all debts to avoid falling behind. If you can afford to pay more, share out the extra cash in the following way to save money on interest costs and become debt free quicker.

Target the most expensive debt first

  • Target the debt with the highest interest rate shown on your monthly statement or loan agreement first.
  • Check that you won’t be charged any penalty or default charges for overpaying.
  • Pay as much as you can afford without breaking the terms of other credit agreements you have.
  • Once you’ve cleared your most expensive debt, move on to overpaying on your next most expensive one.

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