Where can I get free, independent money help in the UK?

There is a substantial free advice infrastructure in the UK, and a parallel commercial industry that charges for versions of the same thing — sometimes for services that are free by law. Knowing which body does what saves both money and time, because going to the wrong one first is the main reason people conclude that no help exists.

Step by step

1. Start with MoneyHelper for general money guidance.It is the government-backed service that brought together the previous money and pensions guidance bodies. It covers budgeting, borrowing, pensions, insurance and benefits at a guidance level, free, with no products sold.
2. Use Citizens Advice for rights and local questions.Consumer rights, benefits, housing, employment, energy and debt, with local offices as well as online guidance. It is the right first stop when the question is what you are entitled to or what a company must do.
3. Go to a regulated debt charity if debt is the problem.StepChange, National Debtline and Christians Against Poverty all give free, confidential debt advice and will set up solutions where appropriate. Seeking advice does not affect your credit file — only the solutions themselves can, and they will explain which.
4. Never pay a company for debt help.Fee-charging debt management firms offer what the charities do for nothing, and the fees come out of money that would otherwise reduce the debt. There is no service they provide that a free charity does not.
5. Use the ombudsman when a complaint has been rejected.Complain to the company first and get a final response. Then the relevant ombudsman — financial, energy, communications, property or the local government one — will consider it free of charge. Claims companies charge a percentage for making the same free complaint.
6. Check any firm on the Financial Conduct Authority register.Before dealing with any lender, insurer or investment firm, search the register for the firm and check the contact details match. Cloned firms using a real company's registration are a common scam.
7. Use the official routes for government money questions.GOV.UK for benefits, tax and council tax, HMRC directly for tax codes and refunds, and your local council for council tax support and local welfare schemes. Anything charging a fee to claim a refund is charging for a free process.
8. Ask for a Breathing Space if you need time.The statutory debt respite scheme gives eligible people a period of protection from most creditor action and interest. It is accessed through a debt adviser, not applied for directly, which is another reason to speak to one of the charities.

Tips

• If a service is advertised alongside search results for a government process, check whether the official route is free before using it. Passport, licence and refund applications are the most commonly duplicated.
• Free advice is confidential, and advisers deal with far worse situations daily. Nothing you bring will surprise them.
• For older people, Age UK and Independent Age also give free advice on money, benefits and care, and both understand the benefit entitlements that go unclaimed.

Common mistakes

• Paying a claims or debt management company — They charge a percentage or a fee for processes that are free at source. The complaint, the claim and the debt solution are all available without paying anyone.
• Waiting until it is a crisis — Options narrow as arrears build. Every free service says the same thing — the earlier people come, the more can be done, and there is no threshold of seriousness you have to reach first.

Questions people ask