DMP ADVISE

Finnbellebeau

I imagine they have all got the DMP letters by now so if I pull out and they don t get the DMP fee they will default sooner ?

Grumpelstiltskin

I know it isn't easy but please stop panicking and stressing.

Just tell Stepchange you are not ready to start your DMP yet and ask them to put everything on hold.

Then just stop paying all your unsecured debts, nothing terrible is going to happen.

Read through this thread In Debt and Wannabe Debt Free? first Steps to take are here, please read, then ask questions. — MoneySavingExpert Forum
Fill in a SOA, format it for MSE and paste it on here.

When we see that we can advise you exactly what to do.

Do not contact any of your creditors, they will do their best to get you to pay them.

Rob5342

Just tell Stepchange you want to put the DMP on hold, then when everything has defaulted look at starting it again.

It might be a bit stressful now, but defaulting now could be the difference between having a clean credit record in 6 years time instead of 12 years time.

It can be stressful to start with as you can think you are on your own, but when you start reading sites like this you'll find that there are lots of people in similar situations. I struggled with debt for about 11 years, eventually getting up to 44k on credit cards and having gone through 30 or 40 payday loans. I didn't know where to turn and eventually started a DMP. 4 years down the line and through a combination of repayment, winning affordability complaints and CCA requests that couldn't be fulfilled I'm now down to £1700 that I still need to repay.

RAS

Really glad you've got your priorities right and your CT and utilities are OK. It's not unusual to find people paying credit cards and getting into a mess with essential bills.

Debt collection is largely automated, so there's no need to be embarrassed by a computer. That's whether you use Stepchange or DIY. Anything remotely important will be sent by Old fashioned mail. By law you will get one scary letter from the creditor demanding you repay the entire sum. That is a formality they have to complete before issuing the default. Some act promptly, others take a couple of months, but since you've got the heads up, you just need to check your credit records (not your credit score), for free.

The creditor might send you a letter telling you it has assigned or sold the debt. Just wait until the debt collection agency write with details of your reference and the payment account, and set up a standing order. 

You've done the hard bit, understanding that you need to make changes. And as one of the other posters said, even now the sight of a credit card bill occasionally gives her a jolt. A lot of us sometimes think we've done awful things and deserve to be punished. Actually almost all of the rest of the world have their own stuff to worry about and haven't got time to worry about our problems. 

Finnbellebeau

You have all put my mind at ease .
I can't thank you enough.

RAS

There's a lot of folk here who've been broke, been in debt and been embarrassed.

Once upon a time I spent several journeys to work each week scribbling on the back (and front) of old envelopes trying to work out how to make the next two weeks' income pay the bills. I didn't have to cope with the same credit records but I had no access to overdrafts or credit cards. The pains different but I understand the stress and anxiety.

Ideally get your partner to post up themselves and maybe mention your relationship. It's easier for people here to support individuals rather than +1s unless they want to present as couple.