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With life’s ups and downs, anyone can find themselves in financial difficulty. And while money worries can be overwhelming and isolating, please know you’re never alone.
We understand the stress that comes with being in debt and are here to support you whatever way we can, with care and respect.
Asking for help is the first step towards relieving your money worries. So don’t wait for things to get better – contact us today.
First thing’s first: Let’s get a better understanding of your circumstances. To do this you’ll need to fill in our income and expenditure form. Then we can help you build a personalised debt plan, which could include what debts to prioritise.
You can fill in this form online or over the phone with someone from our Financial Support Team. It only takes 10-15 minutes to complete and it won’t affect your credit score.
Call our Financial Support Team on 0800 011 365. Lines are open 8am-6pm Monday to Friday and 8am-4pm Saturday.
Once you've started filling out the form, your progress won't be saved if you exit, so you must complete the form in one session. To help with this, we've summarised the information you'll need to provide:
Once you’ve submitted the form, you will receive an automated email on the next steps. This may include further tailored support online, or a call with one of our friendly team, who'll be able to use the information you've already provided to work out the best options for you. Just so you know, some of the solutions we offer may impact your credit rating, but we’ll let you know if this is the case.
Open banking Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first] is a quick, easy and secure way to share your information. If you give permission, consents.online Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first] will obtain your current account information from your account provider and share it with us to help us assess your current financial situation.
To use the service you’ll just need your log in details for your main bank account that you receive your salary and pay bills from. Once you have these details to hand, the sign up process should only take a few minutes to complete.
Companies that provide Open Banking services must operate in line with data protection laws and be registered with OBIE Opens an overlay [Will show a security message first] (Open Banking Implementation Entity) and the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority) to ensure you are protected and your information is secure.
If you've missed a loan, mortgage or credit card payment or you think you're about to it's a good idea to speak to us as soon as you can. This is also true if you're struggling with your arranged overdraft or have found yourself in an unarranged overdraft.
For Loan and Credit Card payments or to talk about your overdraft call 03 456 100 188.
For Mortgage payments call 03 456 100 193.
If you have multiple debts and need some breathing space, you can get free, impartial advice from our charity partners, including StepChange and National Debtline.
StepChange have 30 years of experience providing expert advice and debt solutions for people.
If you’d like to do this, we can give you Breathing Space while you work with them to create a personal action plan.
This is the best option if you've missed a payment with several banks or organisations other than first direct, or you’re about to miss one.
We understand it can feel daunting, but the sooner you reach out, the simpler it is to ease your money worries.
Visit our Help with debt management page, which has information about who you can get in touch with for impartial advice and to help you to get your debt under control.
You can turn gambling transactions on or off on your debit card using the App. To find out how to do this and for our FAQs see our Gambling support page.
There are several organisations and charities who can provide free help and general advice on managing your money. They can also help with things like benefits or other sources of support.
You can find out about free independent money advisers in your area from:
The following helpline services are also available, offering useful help and advice.