Start with the next few weeks
A change in income or an unexpected expense can make a previously manageable repayment difficult. Begin with the facts: money available, income you can reasonably expect, essential living expenses, other commitments and the next repayment date.
Keep uncertain income separate from money already available. This gives you a useful basis for a conversation and avoids making a promise that depends on an event outside your control. You do not need to submit your budget on this website.
Prepare a first message
Example wording. Replace the brackets with your circumstances; this website does not send the message.
I expect difficulty making the payment due on [date]. My circumstances changed because [brief reason]. Please confirm the current balance and which repayment options you can consider. Please explain any charges or changes to the payment schedule in writing.
Use a verified contact. Give an agreement reference only through the lender’s approved process. Do not attach identity documents or banking credentials to an ordinary enquiry.
Explain that you expect a difficulty, what changed and when the payment is due. Ask for the current balance and the options that can be considered. The NCR encourages consumers in financial distress to communicate with credit providers and discuss reasonable repayment arrangements.
An enquiry does not automatically change your agreement. Ask for the outcome in writing, including any revised dates, charges and effect on the balance. Keep a dated note of the conversation and the name or reference supplied.
Review any arrangement
Before suggesting an amount, check it against food, housing, transport and other essential commitments. Describe what you can realistically manage rather than choosing an amount only to end an uncomfortable conversation.
If an option is proposed, compare its total cost and duration with the existing arrangement. Ask which parts are temporary and what happens afterwards. No particular repayment change, fee waiver or pause is promised by this guide.
If the difficulty involves several debts
If several debts are becoming unmanageable, an NCR-registered debt counsellor may help you understand debt counselling. Verify the individual counsellor’s name and registration. Ask about fees, the process, its consequences and when further borrowing is restricted before signing anything.
Debt counselling is a debt-relief process, not a savings product or an automatic cancellation of what you owe. It differs from taking a consolidation loan. Do not accept an unsolicited promise that debt can simply be removed.
Read the payment difficulties page and use the relevant contact details. If you receive a formal legal notice, seek qualified advice promptly rather than treating a support enquiry as a substitute for responding.
A fresh short-term loan can add another repayment to a budget already under pressure. Pause before borrowing to cover an existing instalment. Focus on a workable plan, written information and support that addresses the underlying difficulty.