Coronavirus and your Barclayloan

We understand the coronavirus pandemic could have affected your income. We’re offering payment holidays on Barclayloans to help you if you’re in this position. Please read these questions and answers carefully. We know it’s a worrying time, which means lots of people are trying to get through to us on the phone. There’s no need to call unless you’re worried about an immediate impact on your finances caused by the coronavirus pandemic. Thanks for bearing with us – and check back regularly, as we’ll update the information here as the situation changes.

I’m worried about making my loan repayments. Is there anything you can do to help me?

If you have a Barclayloan, you might be able to apply for a payment holiday to help you through this difficult time. We’re offering a number of ways to support customers who are, or might soon be, financially affected by the coronavirus situation. You’ll find lots of helpful advice in the ‘Help with your finances’ section of our coronavirus help and support pages.

What is a payment holiday?

A payment holiday lets you take a three-month break from making your monthly Barclayloan payments.

Will I be charged interest on my Barclayloan while the payment holiday is in place?

Yes, we’ll continue charging interest on your Barclayloan and on the deferred payments during the payment holiday. We won’t increase your monthly payment amount to include this interest when your payments restart though, so there’ll be an outstanding balance at the end of the loan that you’ll need to pay. You can pay back this interest whenever you like though – you don’t have to wait until the end of your loan term.

Am I eligible for a Barclayloan payment holiday?

At the moment, we’re offering payment holidays if

• You have a Barclayloan (other types of loans aren’t eligible at the moment)
• Your income has been reduced because of the coronavirus situation and you’re having, or think you might have, payment difficulties as a result (we won’t ask you to provide any evidence – you just need to confirm that’s the case on the form)
• You haven’t already had a Barclayloan payment holiday because you’ve been affected by the coronavirus situation

If you’re experiencing longer-term financial difficulties, for example, if you’ve been behind with your Barclayloan payments for some time, or if the coronavirus outbreak has made your existing financial difficulties worse, we need to talk to you so we can find the best way to help you. Please bear with us as call waiting times are longer than usual at the moment.

If your next payment is due in less than seven days, we might have to start the payment holiday from next month, which would mean you’d need to make your next payment. If you can’t afford it, we’ll need to talk to you so please get in touch.

The coronavirus situation is changing rapidly, so this might change, too. If you don’t meet the criteria now, please keep checking this page. We’re continuously reviewing the best way we can support you and will update it when things change.

What if I’ve already missed a payment?

Missing a payment can happen to anyone, but we’re here to help you get back on track.

If the amount you owe is the same as, or smaller than, your usual monthly payment, you may still be eligible for a payment holiday. Please fill in our online form and we’ll let you know.

If you’re experiencing longer-term financial difficulties, or if you’ve been behind with your Barclayloan payments for a while, please let us know so we can find the best way to help you.

Does a payment holiday affect my credit score?

Arranging a payment holiday won’t harm your credit score.

How will this affect my Barclayloan payment when the payment holiday ends?

The deferred payments move to the end of your loan, so we extend the loan term by three months. At the end of the holiday period, your standard monthly payments resume.

When will my payments stop and start again?

If we agree to a payment holiday, we’ll do our best to start it in time for your next Barclayloan payment. If your payment is due in less than seven days, we’ll have to start the holiday payment from the following month, which means you’ll need to make the next payment. We’ll confirm everything when we get in touch with you.

If you pay by Direct Debit, don’t cancel it with your bank – we’ll stop collecting your payments when the payment holiday starts. If you pay another way, you’ll need to stop the payments and make sure they start again when the payment holiday ends.

Can I choose the date I want my payment holiday to start from?

If we agree to a payment holiday, we’ll do our best to start it from your next Barclayloan payment. If you want your payment holiday to start at a later time, don’t request it now – please request it 14 days before you’d like it to start.

How do I ask for a payment holiday if I have more than one Barclayloan?

If you have more than one Barclayloan, you’ll need to complete this form for each one separately.

How much extra might a payment holiday cost?

During the payment holiday we’ll continue charging interest on your Barclayloan. How much will depend on a few things including your loan’s balance, interest rate and remaining term.

• A payment holiday will increase the total interest you’ll pay
• The figures above are for illustration only and are based on a typical loan rate and remaining term. They assume payments remain up-to-date until the end of the loan with no overpayments
• If we approve your payment holiday application, the amount of extra interest charged will vary depending on the rate stated in your loan agreement and remaining term. It won’t need paying until the end of the loan, but can be reduced by making overpayments during the term of the loan

What if my payment is due in the next seven days and I can’t afford to pay it?

We usually start the payment holiday from the following month, which means you’d need to make this payment. If you can’t afford to do this, please fill in the form as we may still be able to help you.

How do I apply for a Barclayloan payment holiday?

The quickest and easiest way is to fill in our online form. There’s no need to call us afterwards – if we accept your request for a payment holiday, we’ll send confirmation and apply it automatically.

How can I contact you if my question isn’t covered here?

We have fewer colleagues than usual answering the phones right now because of the coronavirus situation. This is having a big impact on our call waiting times – we’re truly sorry about this. If you have an immediate financial problem that isn’t covered above, and which can’t wait, call us on 0800 716 598¹.