Are you about to go to prison?
It is important to tell anyone you owe money to if you think you are about to go to prison.
You situation can get worse if you do not.
The people you owe can still take action to collect money from you while you are in prison.
Any arrears on priority bills can affect the people you live with when you are not in prison.
For example:
- Your family could be evicted if you have rent arrears, or
- Your provider could disconnect their energy if you have gas or electric arrears
Take these steps before the court hearing if you are at risk of prison:
1. Contact the people you owe
- Let them know you may go to prison
- Tell them how long you will be gone (if you know)
2. Ask your creditors if you can appoint someone to deal with your account while you are inside
- This can be a trusted friend or family member
- This is easier than trying to contact them from prison yourself
- Some companies let you do this over the phone, others want it in writing
Contact the people you owe as soon as you can if you do not manage to reach them before prison.
You may need to ask someone else to do this.
It may be best to ask for a payment break until you are released. It can be harder to choose a debt solution, for example going bankrupt, while in prison.
Worried about debt?