If you get a letter from bailiffs...

Sean's gas bill
If you get a letter telling you that bailiffs are going to come to your house you should take action urgently. Don't just wait.

The bailiffs charge fees to come to your house and these will be added to your debt.

Call the organisation you owe money (for example the council tax department) and ask them to take the debt back from the bailiffs - make an offer to pay them, whatever you can genuinely afford, but not more.
If there are any special reasons why they should make an exception for you (for example, you have just been made redundant, or have recently split with your partner), make sure you tell them.

Write a letter to them saying the same thing. Keep a copy. If you do not think you do owe all this money, or if somebody else is equally liable, tell them straight away.Send a copy of your letter to the bailiffs. If possible, you should also contact your nearest advice centre (see 'Where to get help' )

If your debt is with the council, in order to balance their budget, they will want you to clear your debt by the end of the financial year (31 March) - do your best to meet this date. Some councils have written policies telling you when they will pass debts to bailiffs, and when they will take them back (for example, because of a disability or recent bereavement). Ask your council if they have a policy like this. Many councils allow people on benefits to pay small weekly amounts to clear arrears.

If you have a bank account, offer to pay by standing order, but make sure you have enough in the account to pay off the debt at the time it is due. If you don't have a bank account, start making regular payments in cash.

If your debt is unpaid Council Tax or a fine, one way you may have more money to pay it off is to reduce the amount you are paying out on other 'non-priority' debts. See our guide 10 steps to sorting out your debts (620 KB) for more details.

If you are receiving Income Support or income-based Jobseeker's Allowance, income related Employment & Support Allowance or Guaranteed Pension credit you may be able to ask for direct deductions to be made from your benefit. This can be done for council tax, mortgage, rent, and service charges arrears, as well as debts to gas, electricity and water suppliers. These deductions are taken at a fixed sum - at the time of writing, £3.40 a week. If it is Council Tax arrears, even if you don't want direct deductions from your benefit, you should be able to make small weekly instalments. If the court has fined you or made a compensation order, direct deductions from your benefit can be made and would usually be a maximum of £5 a week.

If the debt is a county court judgment, you can apply to your local court to stop the bailiffs by promising to pay in instalments. Only offer what you can genuinely afford to pay every month. You can download the form from the website (see 'Links to other websites' on the right). You will need to pay a fee unless you are on a very low income. Some people only have to pay some of the fee - ask the court how to apply for a discount. The same form can be used with a High Court Enforcement Officer. The courts cannot intervene to stop other bailiff warrants. However, if you are struggling to pay a fine, speak to the Fines Officer at the magistrates’ court.