Harrington Brooks
Advice Centre
Note: This section of our site offers general information about dealing with debts. If you are a current Harrington Brooks client and need support, please go to Customer Support.
Comparison of Debt Solutions »
Trying to decide which debt solution is right for you can be confusing. See the options available and how they compare to each other.
Debts We Can Help With »
Learn which debts can be included in a IVA or Debt Management Plan as an expenditure item, or a creditor - and which debts can't.
Priority Debts »
Pay these debts first. Priority debts are not necessarily your largest. They are debts for which none payment has swift and severe consequence, examples include:-
- Council Tax Arrears
- Gas and Electricity Payment Problems
- Hire Purchase Arrears
- Income Tax and VAT Arrears
- Child Maintenance Payments
Credit Rating and Reports »
There is much mis-information about on credit reports and credit scores spread across the Internet, we set the record straight with the correct information-
- All about your Credit Report and Credit Score
- Get your Credit Report
- 10 Tips to help manage your credit score
- Correcting errors on your credit report
Bailiffs »
Learn how bailiffs must conduct themselves and which of your items which they can't take.
Debts With Your Bank »
Debts with your own bank can be problem as they can swallow-up your wages/benefits the moment you pay them in.
Harassment »
Many people with debt problems suffer harassment from their creditors or other bodies to whom they own money. Harassment is unfair, unhelpful and moreover highly illegal.
Continuous Payment Authorties
A Continuous Payment Authority (CPA) is a type of regular automatic payment that you can set up using your debit or credit card. Our guide explains your right to cancel and how some payday lenders are using them as an aggressive debt collection tool.
Illegal Lenders »
Struggling from stress due to money borrowed from a loan shark? View our tips and advice to help you deal with these issues.
Legal Action and The Courts »
Guides to legal action and the courts with respect to the enforcement of debt repayments:-
Getting A Bank Account
If you have debts with your bank (overdraft, loans etc), and enter into an IVA or Debt Management Plan, you'll need a new bank account to have your wages paid in to. (Why? click here) The FSA maintain a guide detailing the basic bank accounts offered by the major banks and building societies.
Get Your Credit Report - For Free
Noddle.co.uk offers a free service which shows your credit report - instantly. Payments and balances on all loans in your name are shown, which companies have made a credit check against you, plus other useful information.
You'll need to enter your debit/credit card details, but this is just a security measure - no payment is taken.
View more details »
Getting Impartial Advice
The Insolvency Service are regulators of the UK insolvency profession. They have produced a useful guide - Dealing With Your Creditors which explains debt solution options from a neutral point of view, detailing the pros and cons of each.
Income and Expenditure
Income and Expenditure Calculator with Guidelines. Here we explain how disposable income is determined and with the aid of an Excel spreadsheet, show guidelines allowing you to make an accurate disposable income calculation. more »
State Benefit Guides »
Guides to the main UK State Benefits, explaining who may be eligible to receive them. See also Harrington Brooks' Benefit and Tax Credit Checking Service.