Priority Debts

Some bills and debts are more important than others because of what could happen if you don't pay. For example:

• if you don't pay your rent or mortgage you could lose your home
• if you don't pay your gas or electricity bills your service could be cut off
• if you don't pay your Council Tax you could be sent to prison
• if you don't pay for the things you have bought on credit they could be re-possessed
• if you don't pay your TV licence you can be fined up to £1000

It is important to prioritise your spending to make sure that the most important debtors are paid first.

If you get behind with payments you should contact your landlord/mortgage provider, service suppliers etc. to make sensible arrangements to pay off what you owe. Any of the local advice services can help you negotiate with these organisations if you don't want to approach them alone or find you are not getting anywhere.

Article		Description
	Dealing With Priority Debts	General information and advice on dealing with priority debts
	Council Tax Arrears	What to do if you have Council Tax Arrears
	Gas and Electricity Arrears	What to do if you get behind with your gas and electricity bills
	Mortgage Arrears	What to do if you fall behind with your mortgage payments
	Rent Arrears	What do if you fall behind with your rent