Formal Service action will only be taken in cases of persistent and irresponsible indebtedness. So it’s better to seek help as soon as possible. Don’t be embarrassed or ashamed to talk to your Chain of Command in the first instance. They will put you in contact with the relevant organisations that can help you. If you are concerned about debts, you should set aside some time to go through your finances and assess your situation. You need to

• Make a list of all of your creditors and then divide these into priority or non-priority debts. Then you need to contact them to let them know that you’re having difficulties and to see if you can come to some arrangement.
• Speak to your lender if you’re getting behind with your mortgage – they must follow a set of conditions called a ‘pre-action protocol’ to help you keep your home.
• Sort out your finances – see our 5-step plan in Dealing with debt.