Can't pay a bill? How to talk to the company you owe
2 min read · 8 steps · Updated 3 October 2026
Contact the company before the payment is missed. Work out first what you can afford each month, then tell them plainly that you cannot pay the full amount, explain why, and ask for a payment plan or a pause. Get the agreement in writing and keep to it. Rent, energy and taxes come before other debts.
When money is short, the worst thing to do with a bill is nothing. Companies deal with customers in difficulty every day, and most would rather agree smaller payments than chase a debt. The conversation is uncomfortable for ten minutes and can take away months of pressure. This guide follows the advice of the UK's MoneyHelper service.
This is general information, not financial or legal advice. Rules and consumer rights differ from country to country.
Step by step
Do a quick budget
Add up your income and your essential costs: housing, energy, food, transport, insurance. What is left is what you can offer across all your debts. Do not promise more than that.
Sort the bills by consequence
Priority bills are the ones where not paying costs you your home, your heating or brings court action quickly: rent or mortgage, electricity and gas, taxes, child maintenance, fines. Credit cards, catalogue debts and overdrafts come after those, however loudly they chase.
Gather your papers
Customer or account number, the amount owed, the due dates, and anything that shows what has changed: a notice of dismissal, a sick note, a benefit decision.
Call or write early
Contact the company as soon as you know you will miss a payment. Say that you cannot afford the normal payment at the moment, explain briefly what happened, and say what you can pay.
Ask for a concrete arrangement
Possible offers are smaller instalments over a longer time, a pause of one or more months, a later payment date, a cheaper tariff, or freezing interest and fees. Ask what each option costs in total and whether it is reported to credit agencies.
Get it in writing
Ask for the agreement by email or letter before you pay. Note the date of each call and the name of the person. Keep everything in one folder.
Keep to the plan and stay in touch
Pay the agreed amounts on time. If your situation changes again, tell the company before you miss a payment, not after.
Get free debt advice
If there are several debts, or a creditor refuses, go to a free debt advice service. They work out a plan for all debts together and can negotiate for you. Avoid firms that charge for this.
Good to know
Do not take out a new loan or use one credit card to pay another without advice. It usually makes the total larger.
Open every letter. Deadlines for objections run from the day a letter arrives, whether you read it or not.
In Germany: the free Schuldnerberatung of the city, Caritas, Diakonie or the consumer centres. See unpaid bill or debt collection letter in Germany: what to do.
Related: how to make a budget, how to pay off debt faster and forgotten subscriptions: how to find and cancel them.
In short: Budget first, priority bills first, contact the company early, say what you can pay, ask for instalments or a pause, get it in writing, keep to it, use free debt advice.
- MoneyHelper: Talk to your creditor about your bills
Rules and prices change. Check the official source before you act.