Priority Debts & Which Bills To Pay First. StepChange (2024)

'Priority' debts and bills are those that can:

• Impact your home and health
• Cause legal problems
• Lead to more debt

Always pay these first.

Common priority debts include:

• Court fines
• Council Tax
• Your rent or mortgage

Common priority bills include:

Things that could:

• Make you homeless
• Mortgage
• Rent
• Leave you without services you need to live
• Energy
• Use extra powers to get the debt
• Council tax

Priority bills can be different based on where you are in the UK.

See the lists below for priority bills in:

• In Scotland
• In Northern Ireland

We can help you with free debt advice.

What extra powers can a creditor use?

A creditor might ask a court to:

• Send debt collectors to visit you

Find out more about what bailiffs and Sheriff officers can do.

• Take money from your wages or benefits
• Make you bankrupt

You can go to prison for the following debts:

• In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland:
• Criminal fines
• Maintenance
• In England:
• Council Tax arrears
• Criminal fines
• Maintenance

Court orders can be raised for any type of unpaid debt.

Some debts do not need a court order. Such as debts to HMRC.

What if I am behind with priority payments?

Use our checklist:

1. Build a budget
2. Figure out what you need to spend each month
3. Contact your creditor
4. Tell them you are struggling to pay
5. Show them your budget
6. Try to agree a payment plan you can afford
7. Get help if you are worried about debt
8. Keep to the payment plan you have agreed

Most creditors will try to work with you.

Priority bills in England or Wales

Child Maintenance

If you do not pay:

• Money can be taken from your bank account and/or benefits
• Bailiffs can visit
• There could be a court order to sell your belongings
• A court order could force you to sell your property
• Your driving licence or passport can be taken
• There is risk of going to prison

Council Tax

If you do not pay:

• Money can be taken from your bank account and/or benefits
• Bailiffs can visit
• The debt can be secured against your home
• The local council can apply to make you bankrupt
• You are at risk of going to prison (England). This does not apply to Wales

County Court judgment

If you do not pay:

• Bailiffs can visit
• Creditors can apply for a charging order. This secures the debt against your home
• Money can be taken from your wages
• Money can be taken from your bank account

Gas or electricity

If you do not pay:

• Your supply can be cut off
• You can be forced onto a pre-payment meter
• Money can be taken from your benefits

Hire purchase or logbook loan

If you do not pay:

• Items can be taken
• The people you owe can apply for a CCJ

Magistrates Court Fines

If you do not pay:

• Bailiffs can visit
• Money can be taken from your bank account and/or benefits
• There is risk of going to prison

Mortgage

If you do not pay:

• You could lose the home or property with a mortgage

Phone

If you do not pay:

• Your service can be cut off
• The provider can apply for a CCJ

Rent

If you do not pay:

• You can be evicted

Secured loan

If you do not pay:

• You could lose your home

Tax, VAT or National Insurance

If you do not pay:

• Money can be taken from your wages
• Bailiffs can visit
• HMRC can apply to make you bankrupt
• HMRC can apply for a CCJ

TV licence

• You can be fined

Priority bills in Scotland

Child Maintenance arrears

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• Money can be taken from your bank account, wages and/or benefits
• You can be stopped from selling or transferring goods
• You can be forced to sell your property
• Your driving license or passport can be taken
• There is risk of jail

Council Tax

If you do not pay:

• Money can be taken from your bank account, wages and/or benefits
• Goods can be taken from your home
• The local council can apply to make you bankrupt
• You have to ask the council before you sell your property

Criminal fine

If you do not pay:

• Your car may be clamped or taken away
• Money can be taken from your bank account, wages and/or benefits
• There is risk of going to prison

Decree

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• You have to ask the council before you sell your property
• Money can be taken from your wages and/or benefits

Gas or electricity

If you do not pay:

• Your supply can be cut off
• Your supplier can apply for a Decree
• Money can be taken from your benefits

Mortgage or secured loan

If you do not pay:

• You may lose your home

Phone

If you do not pay:

• Your service can be cut off
• The creditor can apply for a Decree

Rent

If you do not pay:

• You can be evicted

Tax, VAT or National Insurance

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• Money can be taken from your bank account
• Your PAYE tax code can be set higher
• HMRC can apply for your bankruptcy

TV licence

If you do not pay:

• You can be fined

Priority bills in Northern Ireland

Child Maintenance arrears

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• Money can be taken from your bank account, wages and/or benefits
• You bank account can be frozen
• The debt can be secured against your home
• You can be forced to sell your property
• Your driving license or passport can be taken
• There is risk of jail

Criminal fine

If you do not pay:

• Your car can be clamped or taken away
• Money can be taken from your bank account or benefits
• There is risk of jail

Gas or electricity

If you do not pay:

• Your supply can be cut off
• The creditor can apply for a Money judgment
• Money can be taken from your benefits

Hire purchase or logbook loan

If you do not pay:

• The items you bought can be repossessed
• The creditor can apply for a Money judgment

Money judgment

• Goods can be taken from your home
• The debt can be secured against your home
• Money can be taken from your wage and/or bank account

Mortgage or secured loan

If you do not pay:

• You may lose your home

Phone

If you do not pay:

• Your service can be cut off
• The provider can apply for a Money judgment

Rates

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• Money taken from your wages and/or bank account
• The debt can be secured against your home
• The local council can apply to make you bankrupt

Rent

If you do not pay:

• You could be evicted

Tax, VAT or National Insurance

If you do not pay:

• Goods can be taken from your home
• Money can be taken from your bank account
• Your PAYE tax code can be set higher
• HMRC can apply for your bankruptcy

TV licence

If you do not pay:

• You can be fined

Water

If you do not pay:

• Money can be taken from your benefits

What if I cannot pay because of other debts?

'Unsecured debts' are not linked to an asset like your home.

They are lower priority and include:

• Credit cards
• Personal loans
• Other credit products

Get free debt advice. We can:

• Look at your budget
• Find a way to manage different types of debt

• Child maintenance arrears
• Council tax debt
• County Court judgments (CCJs)
• Gas and electricity arrears
• Hire purchase debt
• Logbook loan debt
• Magistrates Court fines
• Mortgage arrears
• Phone debt
• Rent arrears
• Secured loans
• Tax, VAT and National Insurance
• TV licence fines