Skip to main content
IVAs & BankruptcyFree help

Menu

StepChange Debt Charity

UK debt charity giving free advice and free debt management plans. It also sets up and manages IVAs through its own subsidiary, StepChange Voluntary Arrangements.

4.6 / 5 2,727 reviews on Trustpilot checked

A customer review score from Trustpilot, not our rating, and not a sign that this company suits you.

Fees: Free debt advice and free debt management plans. IVAs have fees: they come out of your agreed monthly payment, with no up-front fee. It says IVA fees go back to the charity.

Its advice and debt plans are free, but its IVAs, run by its own subsidiary, charge fees.

Visit StepChange Debt Charity

Opens the company’s website. Nothing to fill in on our site.

The company you contact will look at your situation and tell you what it can offer. We do not assess you.

What they do

  • Debt advice
  • Free debt plan (DMP)
  • IVAs
  • Debt Relief Order help
  • Bankruptcy help
  • Breathing Space

Works in: England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Source: the company’s website, checked

Costs

Free debt advice and free debt management plans. IVAs have fees: they come out of your agreed monthly payment, with no up-front fee. It says IVA fees go back to the charity.

Source: the company’s website, checked

Who you deal with

  • Foundation for Credit Counselling (trading as StepChange Debt Charity)

    Companies House number 02757055

    FCA firm reference number 729047 on the Financial Conduct Authority register

    Registered charity numbers 1016630 and SC046263, per its site. FCA register shows this name for this number. Gives advice and runs debt management plans.

  • Consumer Credit Counselling Service Voluntary Arrangements Limited (trading as StepChange Voluntary Arrangements)

    Companies House number 05659160

    Sets up and manages its IVAs. A wholly owned subsidiary of the charity, per its site. Its site says Clare Lindley and James O'Carroll are licensed as insolvency practitioners by the Insolvency Practitioners Association (not checked on the register). Companies House shows it as active.

What we checked, and what is still missing
Legal entity
Checked at the official company registry; incorporation is not regulatory permission.
Permissions and practitioner licences
Company statement; independent confirmation incomplete.
Service countries
Checked on the company’s own website; this is a company statement about its service.
Services
Checked on the company’s own website; this is a company statement about its service.
Fees
Checked on the company’s own website; this is a company statement about its service.
Website destination
Checked on the company’s own website; this is a company statement about its service.
Review profile
Checked on the named Trustpilot profile; not proof of permission or outcomes.

Confirmed at source: Trustpilot 4.6 from 2,727 reviews (its own site shows a different Feefo score and count, which is a separate platform); charity entity and numbers on its own site and Companies House; FRN 729047 matches the name on the FCA register. IVA arm corrected 24 Oct 2026 (Codex A06): https://www.stepchange.org/how-we-help/individual-voluntary-arrangement.aspx says IVAs are arranged by StepChange Voluntary Arrangements, part of the charity, for England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with fees taken from the agreed monthly payment and no up-front fee; https://www.stepchange.org/debt-info/iva-or-bankruptcy.aspx names the company as Consumer Credit Counselling Service Voluntary Arrangements Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary; Companies House shows 05659160 active at the charity's address. Stated by the company only: the practitioners' IPA licences. Service countries: DMP page says England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland; DRO page England, Wales and Northern Ireland; Breathing Space page England and Wales only.

Good to know

Its advice and debt plans are free, but its IVAs, run by its own subsidiary, charge fees.

How this listing works

StepChange Debt Charity does not pay us. The link to its website is unpaid. We checked most of these facts at their sources on 24 October 2026. Some details could not be confirmed; the notes above say where. How we compare

Read StepChange Debt Charity’s reviews on Trustpilot

Not sure where to start? Free debt advice

These services are free and independent. They can look at your whole situation, including options that these companies do not offer.

All free help →

Back to the comparison