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 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 landlord can ask the court to set a date for your eviction.

Find out how to deal with your rent arrears.

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 ask the court to set a date for your eviction.

Find out how to deal with your mortgage arrears.

This is a priority debt because your local council can take you to court quickly if you don’t pay.

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 magistrate’s court if you watch TV without a licence. Check if you need a TV licence on the TV Licensing website.

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

Find out how to deal with court fines.

These are priority debts because you could be sent to prison if you have the money but choose not to pay. You won’t go to prison if you can show you can’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

• take the money from your benefits or tax credits

• use bailiffs to take your property

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. If you don’t go to court when asked or don’t do what the court tells you to, you could be sent to prison.

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

• use bailiffs to take your property

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, HMRC can take you to court. If you don’t go to court when asked or don’t do what the court tells you to, you could be sent to prison.

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, the magistrate’s court can:

• take away your driving licence or passport for up to 2 years

• send you to prison

It won’t do this if you can show you can’t pay.

Find out how to deal with unpaid child maintenance.