Can't pay your bills? Here's exactly what to do and where to get help

First things first, if you have opened this page because money is tight and the bills are piling up, you have already done something important. Most people spend weeks avoiding the problem before they start looking for a way through it, and by the time they do, things are harder than they needed to be. You are ahead of that curve just by being here.

Whilst rising debts can feel overwhelming and isolating, the situation you are in is not unusual and it is not permanent, it is also not a reflection of how hard you are working - the reality is that our money is unfortunately worth less in the current economy. Millions of households in the UK are managing exactly the same pressure right now, and the steps below will give you a clear, practical way forward - starting today.

The first thing to do when you cannot pay your bills

Before anything else, give yourself a clear picture of what you are dealing with. Write down every bill and debt, who it is owed to, how much you owe, and whether you have missed any payments. Rent or mortgage, council tax, energy, water, phone, credit cards, loans, buy now pay later - everything on one list.

It does not need to be a spreadsheet or a formal document, even a note on your phone is fine. The point is to move from a vague, anxious sense that there is too much to deal with, to a specific list of specific amounts owed to specific organisations. Once it is a list, it becomes something you can work through. That shift in how it feels matters.

Which bills should you pay first?

This is the most important question, and the answer is clearer than most people realise. Not all bills carry the same consequences if you fall behind, and knowing the difference means you can make a plan that protects the things that matter most.

One missed payment on any of these bills is not going to result in immediate drastic action - creditors and councils go through a process before anything serious happens, and that process takes time. The reason for prioritising certain bills is that the process they trigger is more serious if it is left unaddressed for a long time, not because one difficult month puts everything at risk.

Priority debts are those where the consequences of falling behind are the most serious - risking your home, having your energy cut off, or facing court action. These should come first every time.

Here is the order that matters:

Rent or mortgage first. These are the most important bills to keep on top of because they relate to your home, and a sustained period of missed payments could eventually lead to legal action from your landlord or lender. That said, both are legally required to work with you before taking any further steps, and the earlier you get in touch the more options are available. One difficult month, communicated early, is almost always manageable.

Council tax second. If council tax arrears build up over a long period without any contact from you, the council can eventually escalate the matter -but this follows a series of letters and reminder notices first, and there is plenty of opportunity to get in touch and arrange a payment plan well before it reaches that stage. It is also worth asking your council about a Council Tax Reduction, since many people on low incomes qualify for a significant reduction and have never applied.

Energy bills third. Suppliers have strict rules about when they can disconnect supply, and disconnection for debt is genuinely rare and only considered after a sustained period of non-payment and failed contact. If you call your supplier and explain the situation, they are legally required to offer a repayment plan, and most will be pragmatic and helpful. Getting in touch early makes the conversation much easier.

HMRC and child maintenance. If you have an outstanding tax debt, HMRC has powers to recover what is owed that other creditors do not, so it is worth getting in touch to arrange a Time to Pay plan rather than hoping it resolves itself. They are generally willing to agree manageable instalments when approached directly.

Credit cards, personal loans and catalogue debts sit in a different category. Missing a payment is not ideal and will affect your credit file over time, but the consequences are less immediate and the process a creditor would need to follow before taking any formal action is a long one. If money is very tight this month, these are the bills where flexibility exists, although there is a potential impact on your credit score.

How to talk to your creditors and providers when money is tight

If there is one piece of advice in this entire guide that makes the biggest practical difference, it is this one; Calling a creditor before you miss a payment puts you in a completely different position to calling them after.

Most creditors are more helpful than people expect. If you explain your situation honestly, most will consider pausing payments while you get advice, freezing interest and charges so the debt does not grow, and accepting a reduced payment based on what you can genuinely afford this month.

You do not need to have all the answers ready before you call. You just need to explain that you are struggling and ask what their options are. Keep a note of who you spoke to and what was agreed, and follow up any phone call with an email so you have a record you can refer back to.

If a creditor says no the first time, try again and put your request in writing. Creditors often respond differently when they receive a formal letter, and a debt adviser contacting them on your behalf tends to get a different response again.

Financial support you might be entitled to but are not claiming

Before you cut back any further or consider borrowing more, it is worth ten minutes checking whether any of the following apply to you. A lot of people in financial difficulty are not claiming everything they could be.

• Benefits you are not claiming. The MoneyWellness benefits calculator gives a free, personalised estimate in around ten minutes at moneywellness.com. Billions of pounds of benefits go unclaimed in the UK every year, including Universal Credit, Council Tax Reduction, Pension Credit and Carer's Allowance

• The Crisis and Resilience Fund. This replaced the Household Support Fund in April 2026 and is run by local councils. It provides crisis payments for food, energy and essential costs. Search your council name alongside "Crisis and Resilience Fund" to find out what is available where you live

• The Warm Home Discount. A £150 credit applied directly to your energy account each winter if you are on a qualifying benefit. Check at gov.uk/the-warm-home-discount-scheme — it is consistently underclaimed

• Water bill support. Most water companies offer a social tariff for lower-income households but almost none of them advertise it. Contact your water supplier directly and ask what is available

• Free school meals. If your household earns under £20,000 after tax on Universal Credit, your child should be receiving free school meals. If they are not, a quick conversation with the school can sort it

Free debt help in the UK: who to call and what to expect

If the whole thing feels too big to tackle alone, please reach out to one of the organisations below. They are free, they are confidential, and the people who work there have heard every version of every financial situation you can imagine. There is nothing to be embarrassed about, and a single conversation can change how manageable the whole thing feels.

• Moneywellness. www.moneywellness.com or 0161 518 8285 email at contactus@moneywellness.com for financial advice and debt support.

• Citizens Advice: citizensadvice.org.uk or 0800 144 8848. Free advice on debt, benefits and budgeting

• National Debtline: nationaldebtline.org or 0808 808 4000. Free and confidential by phone and online

• MoneyHelper: moneyhelper.org.uk or 0800 138 7777. Includes a debt advice locator to find help near you