Help Help .... getting started after lightbulb moment

lifebackplease

Hi
Apologies if this is posted in wrong place but really need some help to get me started on my DMP. Have spent years reading this forum and only just joined now unfortunately. Should have heeded all the wise words years ago but was too scared so did the usual ridiculous ways of trying to solve the debt problem - remortgaged/debt consolidation etc and the inevitable happened - spiral of doom and now owe over £50,000 unsecured debt with mortgage on top. I contacted Stepchange last week and have just got paperwork through with advice for slow start DMP joint with my partner.  Finances will improve May next year so can increase payments a bit then. Hoping to start the DMP on 1st Sept. Haven't missed any debt payments ever before now. I will post my SOA at later date but need help to get the basics sorted as I am worried I am doing the wrong things to start. Questions I need answered urgently please are

• Have opened a new bank account but stupidly used the Switch service - it switches over in a few days but I have some payments due before it switches. I have a loan with my old bank but if I tell them I cant pay and cancel my direct debit will this mean my new bank will know and cancel my new account? Should I just pay the loan until my account switches over and then cancel the direct debit? I can just about scrape the money together for this month's loan but we have no emergency fund.
• Partners bank account is with Bank of Scotland but he has a credit card with MBNA - are they linked ? Will he have to move accounts too?

Thank you so much for taking time to read my ramblings and if anyone can answer these two things I would be very appreciative - might be able to sleep at some point then!

RAS

Hi 
Noting the early hours when you posted
According to their web-site MBNA is linked to Lloyds.

Check bank institutions here to make sure both your choices are safe:
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/savings/safe-savings/#whatcounts

You need to put together an emergency fund AND encourage your creditors to default you as soon as possible. SO you start your DMP by stopping paying your creditors and putting that money into your emergency fund. You may want to put that into a basic account of even an instant access savings account with one of the banks you've chosen.

Once the creditor defaults, start paying them via the DMP.

Others with more knowledge of the current situation will come along.

Grumpelstiltskin

OP Nothing is urgent, I know it's easy to panic but your creditors will do nothing for months.
As RAS said stop paying all your unsecured creditors NOW.
Open a basic bank account with a bank that isn't connected to any of your debts  remove our name from any joint accounts you have with your partner and build up an emergency fund.
Ask Stepchange if you can move your DMP back to at least October.
Most of all don't panic and don't rush into anything.

lifebackplease

Thank you to the lovely people who replied - yes I am in panic mode and guess I will be on here every day until I calm down. When you say it has to be a basic bank account does this mean the new normal bank account I have just opened with a switch service in place will be no good and I will have to open yet another? I asked for no overdraft facility to keep me on the right path and I dont have an overdraft balance on my old account but have a loan with them hence having to move. Can my old bank take from my new bank with the switch service in place? (they are not in same bank group) I am due refunds for travel and a hospitality cancellation and dont know when they will be paid so thats why I used the switch service along with feeling so panicked that i couldn't face changing all my direct debits. 
I also have 2 accounts for my teen children which are linked to my name as they were opened when they were small (I have to sign for them to take money out) The family benefit is paid into one and a small monthly payment to the other - will I have to close these too as with the same bank as my partner? The teens also have their own student accounts now but also with the same bank - will my stupid financial !!!!!! ups affect them too? 
Thank you all for your patience - I will stop rambling at some point

zippygeorgeandben

Rambling is perfectly ok on here.  Do not worry!  Just ask your questions and knowledgable people will come on throughout the day to help.  Don't panic, don't worry about the switch because it'll all come out in the wash.  This is a mere small step into sorting out your finances once and for all.