Almost everyone has some form of debt, be it money owed on a credit card, a bank loan or overdraft, or a mortgage. But if you're having trouble paying your bills or loan repayments, you should get help as soon as possible. Here are some useful tips to help you.

Can you cover your bills, loan repayments or other debts with your income, or are they becoming unmanageable?

Make a list of your debts and prioritise them.

See if there's anything you can cut back on before working out how much of your debts you can afford to pay back.

Find out what happens if people come knocking on your door to collect money you owe.

There are lots of organisations that offer free debt advice and can help you work out a plan of action.

Once your debt is under control, try to review your situation regularly to avoid it happening again.

If you are currently able to cover your debts and expenses with your income but worry that you may get into difficulties, see our Managing your money guide. You can also work out whether you're likely to have problems with your borrowing by taking our confidential Debt test.

You may have the beginnings of a debt problem if you find yourself doing any of the following.

 Using credit cards to take out cash advances, or to pay bills or mortgage repayments.
 Being tempted to take out a consolidation loan to reduce monthly payments on your debts.
 Paying no more than the minimum payments due on your interest-charging credit cards.
 Borrowing money without planning how you're going to pay it back.
 Regularly increasing your overdraft to pay for general living costs.

Don't be embarrassed. If you are:

 unable to pay for basic necessities;
 unable to pay your rent, mortgage or utility bills, or contractual payments such as loans; or
 receiving letters from bailiffs, solicitors, or other debt-recovery agencies demanding money you owe - GET HELP.

It's important to deal with the problem as soon as possible. Start by working out the scale of the problem. You may find you can work something out, or if you can't, you will be in a better position to know you need expert help. The longer you ignore your debts, the worse the situation will become.

Make a list of all your debts. Don't forget to include unpaid bills, loans from family and friends, and money you owe on credit cards.

Certain debts should be dealt with first, as ignoring them can have serious consequences. These include your mortgage (and any other loans secured against your home) or rent, council tax, gas and electricity payments, hire purchase for a vehicle, and maintenance to support a former partner or children.
If you're having problems repaying your mortgage, talk to your lender to see how they can help.

This will help you work out how much you can afford to pay off each week or month to clear your debts. Your budget may also show you where you can save money.

Work out what money you've got coming in and check whether there are any benefits or financial support you may be able to claim.

If you need help preparing a budget plan, talk to a debt adviser.

If you owe someone money, they may try to collect the debt using a bailiff or debt collector. If these people contact or visit you, you need to know how to deal with them, and what your rights and obligations are. If you need help, contact your local Citizen's Advice Bureau (CAB).

Debt collectors are not allowed to take your goods to pay for your debt. However, if the matter is referred to the Court for approval, then a bailiff can become involved, and they do have the right to take your goods away and sell them to raise money to pay your creditors. There are, however, guidelines that they have to follow, for example they are not allowed to intimidate or harass you.

If you owe someone money, they might take you to court to get it back.

If you accept (or the court decides) that you owe all the money claimed, a court order (known as a county court judgment or CCJ) will be made against you. If you've already worked out how much you can afford to pay your creditors, you can offer to make payments for the same amounts.

Always respond to a claim form within the time specified, otherwise you may find you have to pay off the whole amount straightaway instead of having the opportunity to repay by instalments.

Even if certain debts are not secured on your home, failing to keep to a new payment plan with your creditors could put your home at risk. This is because they may ask the courts for a charging order, allowing them to secure the debt on your home. If this happens, then they may be able to repossess your property.

There are several organisations that offer free debt advice, and you can talk to them face to face or by phone.

There is also a lot of information on the web, so you don't even have to talk to anyone if you would prefer not to. There are also self-help packs and examples of letters to write to creditors.

It can be difficult to break habits that are causing you to get further into debt. If you feel you're becoming addicted to gambling or are relying on shopping to make you feel better, there are organisations that can offer support.

Once your debt is under control, try to review your situation regularly to avoid it happening again. Read our Managing your money guide for some useful tips.