If you're experiencing
financial difficulty

We're here to help you find the support you need,
whatever that may be.

If you need extra help

We know that life can be unpredictable and many people experience financial difficulty at some point.

At Abound, we're committed to the highest standards of responsible and affordable lending but, at the same time, realise that 'stuff happens' that can affect your ability to make your repayments.

Here, we explain what to do if you’re experiencing financial difficulty or are worried about your financial circumstances, what help you can expect from us, what free help resources are available to you and who you can contact for debt advice.

Don't wait to miss a payment

If you can, it’s best to get in touch with us before missing a payment so we can help you understand your options.

If you do miss a payment you may be charged a Late Payment fee and we’ll need to inform the credit reference agencies.

What you can expect from us

We’re here to help. We’ll work with you to help you work through any financial difficulties you might be facing.

First we’ll need to understand whether you’re experiencing a short-term issue, or something longer term, or if we need to wait to find out. We'll need to gauge how serious a problem it is. We’ll help you do this by analysing your bank account data using Open Banking.

This will let us put together some options to help you manage your way through.

What to do

You can call us or send us an email. You don't need to spell out the details – we’ll call you back and discuss the challenges you may be facing.

We’ll then check your affordability and present the options so that you can decide what’s best for you. Using a standard payment holiday or reducing your monthly payments might not be the best way of dealing with the problem. It's best if you contact us directly so we can work together to make a tailored plan that takes into account your personal circumstances.

We might also get in touch with you first if we think you may be in financial difficulty, if there is a low balance in your account, or if you miss a payment. But we’re likely to notice a problem later than you will so please get in touch with us first. If we get in touch with you first, please don’t be alarmed or think we’re chasing you - we’re just trying to help before things get out of hand.

Signs of financial difficulty

Here are some of the signs of financial difficulty to help you decide when you should get in touch with us directly.

Missed monthly repayments

Maybe you're unable work for a while through illness or a change in employment, or a source of income has dried up, or your expenses have increased unavoidably e.g. if you have started to care for someone, or if a relationship has ended, or you're facing a sudden and unexpected spike in expenses.

Missed monthly repayments

You may have missed one or more monthly payments on your loan because you're unable to pay it.

Worried you're going to miss a repayment

Looking ahead you think, or perhaps know, that you're going to be unable to make a monthly payment.

Too much debt

You might have borrowed from other lenders and are worried that you won't be able to pay it all back.

Already in arrears with another lender

If you're up-to-date with your Abound loan but behind on payments with another lender, then this should be taken as a sign of financial difficulty.

Credit card bills are rising

You find that your credit card balances are rising and you're only able to make minimum payments.

Debt management plan

You're discussing a debt management plan with a financial adviser.

Finding it difficult to make ends meet

You might find that it is difficult to keep up your essential expenses.

Gambling

You may find you're spending more on gambling to the extent that it has become a problem and is losing you money.

Where to get free
independent advice

We can't offer financial advice. But there are free money advice organisations that can help. These organisations can help you assess your financial situation, tell you what options are available to you and advise you on the best route forward – we encourage you to make use of their services.

citizen-advice

Citizen's Advice
Call on 0800 144 8848 (for England) or 0800 702 2020(for Wales) (Mon to Fri 9am – 5pm)

national debtline logo

National Debtline
Free and independent debt advice. Call 0808 8084000 (Monday to Friday 9am - 8pm and Saturday 9:30am - 1pm).

step-change logo

Step Change
Get expert advice and fee-free debt management, so you can tackle your debts.
Tel: 0800 138 1111

Money Helper
Call on 0800 138 7777 (for England) or 0800 138 01555(for Wales) (Mon to Fri 8am – 6pm) for free and get impartial money guidance to help clearing your debts, reducing spending, or making the most of your income