Dealing with debt: where to get help

Being a student is becoming more and more financially demanding. Don’t ignore debt problems; if you are unable to meet your monthly repayments, and you are finding it difficult to pay off the outstanding balance on your credit card, you should contact your card company immediately. The earlier you speak to someone the easier it will be for them to help you with your situation – they will also assist you in developing a plan to manage your debt.

Trying to avoid the problem will only make it worse.

Banks and lenders are sympathetic towards debt and urge customers to address problems straight away. The sooner you seek help the better.

It is also important to be aware of the various support bodies that you can turn to for debt advice:

Choosing and Using	www.choosingandusing.com	Helps consumers make sensible decisions when choosing and using a credit card. The site now contains downloadable guides on choosing and using credit cards
Citizens Advice	020 7833 2181 www.citizensadvice.org.uk	Helps people solve their legal, money and other problems with free information and advice from over 3,200 locations.
National Debtline	0808 808 4000 www.nationaldebtline.co.uk	Provides free, confidential and independent debt advice.
Consumer Credit Counselling Service	0800 138 1111 www.cccs.co.uk	Provides free debt management assistance, budget counselling and educational programmes.
Community Legal Service Direct	0845 345 4345 www.clsdirect.org.uk	Provides free legal advice on debt related issues.

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