Paying a County Court Judgment in Instalments

A county court judgment (CCJ) can order you to pay the full balance straightaway, known as "forthwith", or in instalments that the court considers affordable for you¹. If the judgment says forthwith and you cannot pay it all at once, you can ask the court to change the order so you pay in affordable instalments instead. This is called varying the CCJ, and there is no fee to pay for it².

The court will want to see a detailed budget showing what you can realistically afford. If your circumstances have changed since the judgment, or the payment terms were set too high, this is the route to take. You do not have to work it out alone: National Debtline gives free, confidential and independent debt advice, and has been helping people with debt for over 30 years³.

This page explains how to ask for instalments, what happens if you cannot afford them, how National Debtline can help, and how to spot firms pretending to be the charity.

Getting free help with a CCJ from National Debtline

National Debtline is a free service that advises people with problem debt, including CCJs. It says it will always be available to give free advice to help you overcome any of the debt challenges you face³. It also provides free sample letters you can use to contact creditors in writing⁷.

The service is run by the national charity the Money Advice Trust, and offers practical self-help alongside its phone and online advice⁸. It helps more than 100,000 people each year⁹. It is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, and is an independent registered charity¹⁰.

For a CCJ, the practical help is straightforward: an adviser can look at your income and outgoings, work out what you can afford, and explain how to ask the court to vary the order. They can also explain what happens if you do nothing, which is worth knowing before you decide. If a creditor is chasing a non-priority debt such as a credit card or personal loan, not paying can lead to enforcement action, the debt being passed to a debt collection agency, and a CCJ being made against you, which could affect your credit rating¹¹.

National Debtline's guides cover England and Wales, and say that different advice is needed if you live in Scotland⁴. If you are in Scotland, tell the adviser when you make contact so they point you to the right guidance.

How National Debtline can help you: phone, webchat and My Money Steps

There are three ways to get advice, and you can pick whichever suits you¹⁰.

• Phone. Call 0808 808 4000 for free debt advice⁴. The line is open 9am to 8pm, Monday to Friday, and 9:30am to 1pm on Saturday⁵.
• Webchat. Chat online during the same hours: Monday to Friday 9am to 8pm and Saturday 9:30am to 1pm¹².
• My Money Steps. An online tool for tailored advice about dealing with your debts, available 24/7¹³. If it is not right for you, the phone and webchat routes remain open¹⁴.

You can call, webchat or use My Money Steps to get free advice¹⁴. The service is free to use, always¹⁰.

If you are calling from abroad, the number is +44 (0) 808 808 4000, and calling from abroad is not free of charge¹². The website and My Money Steps stay free wherever you are.

Free advice, with no fees for a debt management plan

You do not need to pay for debt advice⁶. That is the starting point for anyone dealing with a CCJ, because the help that works is free.

If instalments are not enough on their own and a debt management plan (DMP) turns out to be the right route, National Debtline will not charge you for helping to set one up, and neither will the DMP provider it works with¹⁵. The charity receives a charitable donation for each DMP set up, and part of voluntary creditor payments to the DMP provider¹⁵. That funding model is worth knowing about, because it explains how the service stays free.

Once a DMP is running, the people you owe are required to send you an annual summary statement of repayments¹⁶. That gives you a written record of what has been paid and what is left.

Free advice is not limited to National Debtline. StepChange also runs free DMPs⁸, and free advice services exist across the UK¹⁷. The point is the same everywhere: paying a fee for debt advice is not necessary.

Other debt solutions if instalments are not affordable

Instalments are not the only option. If you cannot afford the CCJ, you can ask the court if you can pay in stages¹⁸. If the payment terms are too high after judgment, you can apply to vary the CCJ, which means asking the court to change the order so you pay in affordable instalments; you will need to provide a detailed budget, and there may be a small court fee².

Beyond the court, there are formal solutions for debts that cannot be repaid on the original terms. Which one fits depends on how much you owe, what you own, where you live and what you can pay. The options include:

• Debt management plans, where you pay what you can afford to a provider that shares it between creditors⁸.
• Individual voluntary arrangements, a formal agreement with creditors³.
• Debt relief orders, for smaller debts and limited assets³.
• Bankruptcy, in England and Wales³.
• Protected trust deeds and sequestration in Scotland, where the legal system is different¹⁷.

If you are self-employed, National Debtline is listed as a source of help¹⁹. Business Debtline, part of the same charity, covers Scotland and says different advice is needed in England and Wales²⁰.

Where National Debtline cannot help

National Debtline advises on problem debt, but there are limits. Its written guides often cover England and Wales only, and say different advice is needed for Scotland⁴. Business Debtline's guides cover Scotland and say different advice is needed in England and Wales²⁰. So the right service depends on where you live.

Some debts sit outside the usual consumer debt advice. The loan charge applies where a loan was not paid back in full by 5 April 2019²¹. Bailiffs cannot collect debts like payday loans, credit cards and overdrafts unless you have a CCJ for them²². Fixed-term student loans are enforced in the County Court, and the collection company would need to obtain a CCJ, which it could then enforce if you do not pay²³.

The type of court order also differs by nation. Credit card debt can lead to CCJs in England and Wales, Decrees in Scotland, and Civil bills in Northern Ireland²⁴. If you are in Scotland or Northern Ireland, the terminology and process differ, and you need advice that covers your system.

If you are worried about someone else's debt, National Debtline has separate guidance for that situation¹⁰. And if you are in an emergency, such as facing enforcement or losing essential income, there is dedicated help²⁵.

Beware of firms pretending to be National Debtline

Some companies cold call people pretending to be National Debtline, Business Debtline or the Money Advice Trust²⁶. These calls are not from the charity.

Firms that claim to write off credit card debt make misleading claims that could cost you more money, especially if they ask for upfront fees²⁷. Be particularly wary if they ask for upfront fees to do the job²⁸. There are also email scams: one threatens an attachment of earnings following a fictional County Court Judgment²⁹. And be alert to scam companies that promise to provide your National Insurance number online in return for a fee³⁰.

The safe route is to contact National Debtline yourself on 0808 808 4000, or through its website, rather than responding to a cold call⁴. Free advice never requires an upfront fee.

Where to get free, impartial help

National Debtline is one of several free services. You can call 0808 808 4000, use webchat, or work through My Money Steps at any hour⁴. StepChange also provides free debt advice, including in Scotland¹⁷. Citizens Advice and other local services offer free help too¹².

If you are in Scotland, the Scottish Welfare Fund and mygov.scot list more help with money problems³². In Wales, councils such as Carmarthenshire recommend speaking to someone for advice on how to manage your money³³. Water companies are also expected to offer customers access to holistic debt advice to help them maximise their incomes, particularly at the first sign that a customer is struggling to pay³⁴.

If a debt advice firm has treated you badly, the Financial Ombudsman Service can look at complaints, including those involving gambling-related harm³⁵. And if you are dealing with compulsive spending, UK Debt Service offers information and advice³⁵.

The main message is simple: free, impartial help exists, and you do not have to pay for it⁶.