When money is tight, the first question is not always which balance has the highest rate. Some missed payments can have more serious consequences for housing, energy, court action or enforcement. Start by organising the household figures and getting the right support early.
This hub offers planning tools, not a debt solution or individual repayment order. If you are at risk of court action, bailiffs, disconnection, eviction or repossession, seek free independent debt advice urgently.
Suggested sequence
Work through the decision in order
- 1Open tool
Triage the immediate payment worry
Group concerned bills by potential consequences without entering balances or receiving a personal payment order.
- 2Open tool
Make the monthly gap visible
Set out reliable income, bills and annual costs so the plan is based on current facts.
- 3Open tool
Compare debt repayment paths
Use consistent payments to compare payoff strategies after immediate priority concerns are addressed.
- 4Open tool
Plan a promotional-credit deadline
Make the transfer fee, payoff target and possible expiry balance visible without assuming a new offer.
Keep the plan grounded
- Contact the organisation early if a payment is at risk; do not wait for a missed-payment notice.
- Do not use a new credit product as a substitute for an affordable plan or free independent debt advice.
- Keep a written list of due dates, notices and contacts outside this site; do not enter sensitive account information into tools.
Questions about this path
Can I use this hub instead of debt advice?
No. It can help organise questions and figures, but an adviser can consider notices, income, assets, liabilities, household needs and available options in a way a calculator cannot.
Why is a bill priority guide before a debt payoff calculator?
A repayment method may be less urgent than a bill with serious missed-payment consequences. The sequence keeps that distinction visible before optimising a general debt balance.
Do I need to enter balances to get started?
No. The triage tool only asks about bill categories. Use the budget and debt tools later when it is safe and useful to model your own figures.