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Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition
Chapter 8: Dealing with priority debts
Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition
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Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition
Chapter 8: Dealing with priority debts
Back to previous
Chapter 8: Dealing with priority debts
1. Deciding on priorities
Secured loans
Rent
Ground rent and leasehold charges
Council tax
Fines, maintenance and compensation orders
Child support
Utility charges
TV licence
Tax and value added tax
Hire purchase, conditional sale agreements and bills of sale
National insurance contributions
Tax credit overpayments
2. The general approach to priority debts
Prioritise the debts
3. Strategies for dealing with priority debts
Interest-only payments (for mortgages and secured loans)
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Change from an endowment to a repayment mortgage
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Reduced payments
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Capitalise arrears
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Scheduled payment of arrears
Secured loans
Rent, fuel and council tax
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Mortgage rescue schemes
Mortgage rescue and bankruptcy
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Checklist for action
Sale and rent-back schemes
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Checklist for action
Sale of the property
Negative equity
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Refinancing
When applicable
When refinancing is not applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Time orders
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Voluntary charge
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Deductions from benefits
Factors to consider
Advantages
Disadvantages
Checklist for action
Gas and electricity prepayment meters
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
Writing off debts
When applicable
Advantages
Disadvantages
Useful arguments
Checklist for action
4. Emergency action
Preventing fuel disconnection
Preventing the home being lost
Preventing goods being taken control of by magistrates’ court enforcement agents
Preventing goods being taken control of for council tax arrears
Preventing the local authority taking bankruptcy proceedings
Preventing goods being taken control of by county court enforcement agents
Preventing goods being taken control of by High Court enforcement officers
Preventing goods being taken control of by tax enforcement agents
Preventing imprisonment
Warrant with bail
Warrant without bail
Committal hearing
After imprisonment
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CPAG. "Chapter 8: Dealing with priority debts." In
Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition.
, 2026. Accessed March 21, 2026.
CPAG,
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-268323CITANCHOR.
CPAG. "Chapter 8: Dealing with priority debts." In
Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition.
, 2026. Accessed March 21, 2026. https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-268323CITANCHOR.
Contributor(s):
CPAG
Title:
Debt Advice Handbook 16th edition
Site name:
CPAG
Publisher:
Publication date:
February 24, 2026
Date accessed:
March 21, 2026
URL:
https://askcpag.org.uk/?id=-268323CITANCHOR
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