Next Steps
The next step is to find out which debt solutions you might qualify for. Answer some simple questions and one of our qualified debt advisors will call you to discuss what options are available to you.
Debt Arrangement Scheme
What is a Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS)?
Debt Arrangement Schemes (DAS) are available to anyone in Scotland who is finding it difficult to cope with and pay back the debts they owe to any number of creditors.
The schemes are backed by the Scottish government and they were introduced through legislation in 2004.
Find out more about how a Debt Arrangement Scheme works and which debts you can use it for. Then talk to a free debt adviser about whether it’s the best way to pay off or clear your debts.
How a Debt Arrangement Scheme works
A Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) allows you to pay off your debts at a rate you can afford. It’s suitable if you have non-priority debts like credit or store cards, overdrafts and personal loans.
Your DAS provider will help you work out an affordable payment and talk to your creditors.
You make one monthly payment to the DAS provider who then pays your creditors for you.
Which debts can I pay off with a Debt Arrangement Scheme?
You can only use a Debt Arrangement Scheme for non-priority debts.
- Overdrafts
- Personal loans
- Bank or building society loans
- Money borrowed from friends or family
- Credit card, store card debts or payday loans
- Catalogue, home credit or in-store credit debts
Which debts can’t I pay off with a Debt Arrangement Scheme?
You can’t use a Debt Arrangement Scheme to pay off priority debts.
- Court fines
- TV Licence
- Council Tax
- Gas and electricity bills
- Child support and maintenance
- Income Tax, National Insurance and VAT
- Mortgage, rent and any loans secured against your home
- Hire purchase agreements, if what you’re buying with them is essential
Who offers Debt Arrangement Schemes?
Many free debt advice organisations can arrange a Debt Arrangement Scheme to ensure that all the money you pay into it goes towards paying off your debts. This means you could be debt free sooner than you’d hoped. Free debt advisers give expert advice to hundreds of thousands of people every year and will understand the situation you are in. They are highly trained and will be able to give you the support you need to manage and reduce your debts.
If you choose a fee-paying provider, you should be aware that all Debt Arrangement Scheme providers must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to ensure they meet agreed standards. Before you agree to taking out a plan with a fee-paying provider, check they have been authorised.
Get advice about a Debt Arrangement Scheme
It’s always best to talk things through with an experienced debt adviser before you decide to take out a Debt Arrangement Scheme. This is because the debt solution that is best for you depends on your personal circumstances. Our debt advisers can help you make the right decisions, meaning you could be debt free sooner than you thought.
A debt adviser will:
- Treat everything you say in confidence.
- Give advice about better ways of managing your money.
- Never judge you or make you feel bad about your situation.
- Suggest ways of dealing with debts that you might not know about.
- Always be happy to talk to you, however small or big your problem is.
- Check you have applied for all the benefits and entitlements available to you.
You might only need to have one conversation with an experienced debt adviser to make sure that your plan to manage or clear your debts is the right one for you.
If you need more support or don’t know where to start, you’re not alone. Nearly half of people in debt told us they aren’t sure about the best way to pay off their debts, and that is where a debt adviser can really help you. Over eight out of ten people who have got debt advice tell us they feel less stressed or anxious and more in control of their life again.
People who let a debt problem build up often find things have:
- Spiralled out of control
- Their cards are maxed out
- No-one else will lend to them, and
- It takes much longer to pay back what they owe.
Credit Clarity has no upfront fees or set up costs, your conversation with us is confidential and you can contact an adviser in a way that’s best for you – online, over the phone or face-to-face.
Take the first step to being debt free.