How Barclays can help if you are having money trouble

If you are having trouble keeping your current account under control, we will try to help.

This page explains how you can help yourself, and how we can help if you are worried about the state of your current account.

How to help yourself:

• Please contact us immediately if you are having money worries so we can provide support and help as soon as possible.  We will be sympathetic.  We understand that each customer’s needs are unique to them.
• You can talk to us face to face or by telephone.  Our staff can help in a number of ways:
  - They can suggest changing to a different type of current account (perhaps to a basic bank account). 
  - Or they may be able to offer an overdraft, Personal Reserve or another type of lending product if appropriate (and subject to status).
  - They can refer you to free independent debt advice organisations, such as Citizens Advice, Consumer Credit Counselling Service and National Debtline.  To find out where you can access free independent debt advice, visit:
    http://www.moneyadvicetrust.org/section.asp?sid=23
• And you can find more guidance on our website here: http://www.barclays.co.uk/Helpsupport/Concernedaboutmoney/P1242561752579

What we will do if things go wrong

• Our Customer Review team proactively contact some of our personal customers who show early signs of being in financial difficulty. If they contact you, they will try to help you improve your situation and meet your financial commitments.
• If you get into debt problems with us, we will try to arrange mutually agreeable solutions that suit your circumstances. We will contact you by letter and phone to discuss your situation. We will also advise you how to get free independent debt advice.

What else we are doing

• Barclays complies with The Lending Code – an industry code of best practice – which includes guidelines on how to treat customers in financial difficulty. We are also part of an industry working group that is developing best practice for dealing with customers in financial difficulty who incur bank charges. This new best practice is due to be added to The Lending Code from March 2011.
• We work closely with the money advice sector to understand better the needs of customers with concerns about their finances. Barclays has supported the Money Advice Trust since it was founded 19 years ago, and since 2007 has invested over £3 million to help ensure UK consumers continue to have access to free, independent debt advice.