You can find most of your debts by checking your credit file with Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion — all offer free statutory reports. But credit files don’t show everything, so you’ll also need to check for council tax arrears, HMRC debts, and utility bills separately.
This is the first step before you can deal with debt properly. You can’t make a plan if you don’t know what you’re dealing with.
Why You Need the Full Picture#
You might think you owe £5,000 across two credit cards. But when you check properly, you find an old mobile phone debt that went to Lowell, council tax arrears of £800, and a payday loan you’d forgotten about. Suddenly it’s £8,000 across five creditors.
This matters because different debt solutions have different thresholds. An IVA typically needs £5,000+ in unsecured debt. A Debt Relief Order caps at £50,000. If you don’t know your total, you can’t work out which option suits you.
Step 1: Get Your Credit Reports (Free)#
The three main credit reference agencies in the UK are Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. Each one holds slightly different information because not all creditors report to all three agencies.
You’re legally entitled to a free statutory credit report from each agency. This isn’t the same as signing up for a paid monitoring service — it’s a one-off snapshot of your file.
How to get them:
- Experian: Request a statutory report at www.experian.co.uk/consumer/statutory-report.html (or sign up for their free CreditExpert trial and cancel)
- Equifax: Request via www.equifax.co.uk or use ClearScore (free)
- TransUnion: Request via www.transunion.co.uk or use Credit Karma (free)
ClearScore and Credit Karma offer free ongoing access, so most people use those rather than requesting statutory reports.
What you’ll see:
- Credit cards
- Personal loans
- Overdrafts
- Store cards and catalogue accounts (Very, Littlewoods)
- Payday loans
- Mobile phone contracts
- Car finance agreements
- Mortgage accounts
- Any accounts sold to debt collectors (shows as “default” or “settled”)
- County Court Judgments (CCJs)
Each entry shows the creditor’s name, account number, balance, payment status, and payment history for the past six years.
Step 2: What Doesn’t Show on Credit Reports#
Here’s the problem: credit files only show debts that creditors choose to report. Several types of debt either won’t appear or will only show up if they’ve escalated to a CCJ.
Debts that DON’T appear on credit files:
- Council tax arrears (unless the council gets a liability order and then a CCJ)
- HMRC tax debts (income tax, VAT, National Insurance)
- Utility arrears (gas, electricity, water)
- Parking fines and penalty charge notices
- DWP benefit overpayments
- TV licence arrears
- Rent arrears (unless the landlord gets a CCJ)
- Informal debts to family and friends
This means your credit file could show £6,000 in debt, but you actually owe £9,500 once you include council tax, HMRC, and utility arrears.
Step 3: Check for Council Tax Arrears#
Contact your local council directly. You can usually check your council tax account online via the council website, or call their revenues department.
If you’ve moved address multiple times, check with each local authority you’ve lived under in the past six years. Council tax debt follows you even if you move.
What to ask:
- “Do I have any outstanding council tax arrears?”
- “Has a liability order been issued?”
If there’s a liability order, the council can use bailiffs or deduct from your wages. Council tax debt can be included in an IVA, but only the arrears up to the date the IVA starts.
Step 4: Check for HMRC Debts#
If you’re self-employed, run a business, or have ever submitted a self-assessment tax return, check your HMRC account.
Log in to your HMRC Government Gateway account at www.gov.uk/personal-tax-account. This shows:
- Self-assessment tax balances
- PAYE underpayments
- Tax credit overpayments
- National Insurance arrears (if self-employed)
If you run a VAT-registered business, also check your VAT account.
HMRC debts can be included in an IVA, but HMRC is often a tougher creditor — they’ll want to see all tax returns filed before they approve the arrangement.
Step 5: Check for Utility Arrears#
Look at recent bills from your energy supplier and water company. The bill will show if you’re in arrears.
If you’ve switched supplier or moved house, contact your old suppliers. Energy companies often pass unpaid balances to debt collectors like Moorcroft or Advantis.
Water companies can’t disconnect you for non-payment, but they can still chase the debt and apply for a CCJ.
Step 6: Check Old Bank Statements#
Go through 6-12 months of bank statements. Look for:
- Regular payments to creditors you might have forgotten
- Direct debits that failed (these show arrears building up)
- Payments to debt collectors
- Overdraft charges (if your overdraft is maxed out, that’s debt)
Your bank statement might reveal a gym membership debt, a mobile phone you thought was cancelled, or a loan you’d forgotten about.
Step 7: Check Letters and Emails#
Search your email for “debt”, “arrears”, “overdue”, “default”, “collection”, and the names of major debt collectors (Lowell, Cabot, Moorcroft, PRA Group).
Go through physical post from the past six months. Debt collectors send letters with reference numbers, balances, and original creditor names.
If you’ve been ignoring post, now’s the time to open it. You might find demands for debts you didn’t know existed.
Step 8: Compile Your Full Debt List#
Create a spreadsheet or list with these columns:
- Creditor name (or debt collector name)
- Original creditor (if it’s been sold)
- Account/reference number
- Balance owed
- Monthly payment (if applicable)
- Status (current, arrears, default, CCJ)
Add everything up. This is your total debt.
What to Do Once You Know the Total#
If your total unsecured debt is £5,000-£6,000+, an IVA might be suitable. You’ll make one affordable monthly payment for 5-6 years, then the rest is written off.
If your total is under £50,000 and you have less than £75/month spare income, a Debt Relief Order might be better. It’s free to apply (as of April 2024) and writes off debt after 12 months.
If the debt is over six years old and you haven’t acknowledged it, it might be statute-barred. This means creditors can’t take you to court for it (though they can still ask for payment).
If you’re being chased by debt collectors, check our guides on specific companies:
If you’re not sure what to do next, use our free IVA calculator to see if you qualify and how much debt you could write off. It takes 2 minutes and won’t affect your credit score.
Frequently Asked Questions#
Will checking my credit file damage my credit score?#
No. Checking your own credit file is a “soft search” and doesn’t affect your score. It’s only when you apply for credit (a “hard search”) that your score is affected.
What if I find a debt I don’t recognise?#
Don’t ignore it. First, check if it’s legitimate by requesting proof from the creditor under Section 77/78 of the Consumer Credit Act 1974. If the debt is wrong, dispute it with the credit reference agency and the creditor.
Can I get my credit report for free?#
Yes. Use ClearScore (for Equifax), Credit Karma (for TransUnion), or request a statutory report from Experian. All are free. Avoid paid services unless you specifically want credit monitoring.
What if I’ve moved address several times?#
Check your credit file at your current address first — it should show debts even if they were from a previous address. But also contact your old local councils for council tax, and check with HMRC if you’ve had different addresses during self-assessment years.
How do I know if a debt has been sold to a collector?#
Your credit file will show “sold” or “settled” next to the original creditor, and a new entry for the debt collector. You might also receive a letter from the collector saying they’ve bought the debt.
What if I can’t afford to pay any of the debts?#
Don’t ignore them. If you genuinely can’t afford to pay, an IVA or Debt Relief Order might write off most or all of the debt. Contact a debt advice charity like StepChange or National Debtline, or check if you qualify for an IVA.