Get free debt advice

The Scottish Government helps to fund organisations to give free debt advice.

You can get advice by phone, online or face to face.

Phone and online debt advice

Advice Direct Scotland

Phone: 0808 196 2316

Advice Direct online chat

Monday to Friday 9am to 5pm.

More debt help from Advice Direct Scotland website

Christians Against Poverty

Phone: 01274 760720

Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 5pm. Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm.

More debt help from Christians Against Poverty website

Money Talk Team - Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)

Phone: 0800 028 1456

Check opening times with your local office.

More debt help from the Money Talk Team website

National Debtline

Phone: 0808 808 4000

National Debtline online chat

Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm. Saturday 9.30am to 1pm.

More debt help from National Debtline website

StepChange debt charity

Phone: 0800 138 1111

Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm. Saturday 9am to 2pm.

Get online debt advice from StepChange

24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

More debt help from StepChange website

Face to face debt advice

Christians Against Poverty (CAP)

Phone: 0800 328 0006

Monday to Thursday 9.30am to 5pm. Friday 9.30am to 3.30pm.

Citizens Advice Scotland

Find your local citizen advice bureau

Other ways to get free debt advice

Local councils

Some local councils offer free debt advice and help.

Check your local council website

Aberdeen City Council Aberdeenshire Council Angus Council Argyll and Bute Council Clackmannanshire Council Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (Western Isles Council) Dumfries & Galloway Council Dundee City Council East Ayrshire Council East Dunbartonshire Council East Lothian Council East Renfrewshire Council Edinburgh Council Falkirk Council Fife Council Glasgow City Council Highland Council Inverclyde Council Midlothian Council Moray Council North Ayrshire Council North Lanarkshire Council Orkney Islands Council Perth & Kinross Council Renfrewshire Council Scottish Borders Council Shetland Islands Council South Ayrshire Council South Lanarkshire Council Stirling Council West Dunbartonshire Council West Lothian Council

Moneyhelper website (Money and Pensions Service)

Some charities and local community services offer free debt help.

You may find other local services like this on the Moneyhelper website.

Step 1

Get temporary relief from creditors (moratorium)
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If you're thinking about a DAS or any other debt solution you may be able to apply for a moratorium.
It's temporary relief from your creditors which stops them taking further action against you for 6 months. For example:
- arresting your wages
- taking any possession
- starting any new court action
You should check with a money adviser if a moratorium is right for you. You can apply yourself or through a money adviser.
Check how to apply for a moratorium
Step 2

Get free debt advice
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You need to apply for DAS through an approved money adviser.
The Scottish Government help to fund organisations to give free professional debt advice.
Get free debt advice
Not all money advisers are DAS approved. You should check this first when you contact them.
Step 3

Working out what you can afford
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The money adviser will work out how much you can afford to pay after paying your essential costs. They'll use the Common Financial Tool (CFT) to work this out.
All money advisers use the same CFT to work out how much you can afford to pay towards any debt solution.
Find out more about what counts as essential living costs.
Step 4

Your application goes to AiB and your creditors
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The money adviser will send your application to the AiB. This will detail your payments.
This will also go to your creditors asking them to agree to the payment programme. They have 3 weeks to reply.

Find about more about the DAS application process.
Step 5

Getting a decision
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If your creditors agree, or do not reply within 3 weeks, your application is automatically approved.
If some creditors disagree, AiB will decide whether to approve your debt payment programme anyway.
Find out more about setting up your debt payment programme.
Step 6

If your application is approved
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You'll get a letter or email confirming the terms of your debt payment programme, who the payments distributor is and any conditions you must meet.
The payments distributor will contact you to set up your payments. You must make the first payment within 42 days of your payment programme being approved.
You’ll also get log in details you can use to manage your payment programme.
Your debt payment programme is added to the DAS register.
or this step

If your application is rejected
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If your application is rejected, you’ll continue to have protection from your creditors for 2 weeks.
Ask your money adviser about your options, such as:
- appealing the decision (through AiB)
- applying for a new debt payment programme
- looking at other debt solutions

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Information

Information

Phone and online debt advice

Advice Direct Scotland

Christians Against Poverty

Money Talk Team - Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS)

National Debtline

StepChange debt charity

Face to face debt advice

Christians Against Poverty (CAP)

Citizens Advice Scotland

Other ways to get free debt advice

Local councils

Moneyhelper website (Money and Pensions Service)

There is a problem