PayPlan

What PayPlan does

PayPlan is a UK-based free debt advice provider, trading since 1992 as a brand of Totemic Limited and operating under FCA authorisation (Number: 681263) with offices in Grantham (headquarters) and Edinburgh. The company serves UK residents struggling with unmanageable unsecured debt, offering the full spectrum of formal and informal debt solutions: Debt Management Plans (DMP), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA) including a self-employed variant, Trust Deeds, Debt Relief Orders (DRO), Bankruptcy/Sequestration, Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS), Administration Orders, Debt Settlement, Repayment Arrangements, and the Scottish Minimal Asset Process (MAP). Delivery is multi-channel: a freephone helpline (0800 316 1833), website, live chat, WhatsApp, SignVideo BSL video interpretation, and Relay UK, supported by self-serve digital tools — PlanFinder (online debt-solution finder), BudgetSmart (budgeting and bill-reduction tool), and the PayPlan Plus client portal. Reach into vulnerable segments is deepened through partnerships with Bipolar UK, GamCare, Refuge, and the National Bereavement Service, and the business is listed as a trusted organisation on the government-affiliated MoneyHelper debt advice locator.

The technology stack is a regulated advice platform rather than a software product: core systems combine telephony, web self-service, and client portal infrastructure, with data inputs from Experian (credit reference and soft-search identity verification) and Open Banking (income and expenditure confirmation with explicit client consent). The corporate structure consists of the FCA-authorised parent Totemic Limited plus three wholly-owned operating subsidiaries — PayPlan Partnership Limited and PayPlan Bespoke Solutions Limited (both England-based, staffed by Licensed Insolvency Practitioners NT Payne and MA Smith) and PayPlan (Scotland) Limited (Edinburgh-based). No AI/ML capability is disclosed across products, integrations, or staffing.

PayPlan does not charge clients for advice. Revenue is generated under a managed-services model in which creditors and third parties fund the administration of debt solutions (per arrangements described on the company's "How We're Funded" page), supplemented by ongoing fees from the active client book. FY2025 disclosed turnover was £15.1m (nearly 30% growth) on an active client book of 18,259 and 5,270 new IVAs (36% growth), with the company employing 101–250 people. The company received an investment from Palladian Investment Partners on 2025-10-03.

Name

PayPlan

Legal name

Totemic Limited

Website

https://payplan.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1992

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

PayPlan is a UK-based FCA-authorised free debt advice provider (trading as Totemic Limited, est. 1992) serving individuals struggling with unmanageable debt across England, Wales, and Scotland through IVAs, DMPs, Trust Deeds, DROs, and bankruptcy advice, funded by creditors rather than clients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Debt Advice Services

NAICS

Activities Related to Credit Intermediation (5223), Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Finance Services (6199), Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Credit Counseling & Debt Management Plans (DMP) (FSAKAJAH)

akta.pro secondary industry

Debt Management Plans (DMP) Administration (FSAEAFAB)

Keywords

• Debt advice services
• Debt management solutions
• Individual voluntary arrangements
• Consumer debt counseling
• Insolvency practitioner services

Headquarters

HQ city

Grantham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Debt Advice Services: PayPlan provides free debt advice to consumers. The company is funded through arrangements with creditors and third parties, as referenced in their 'How We're Funded' page. Revenue appears to come from fees charged to creditors for administering debt solutions rather than from clients directly.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

PayPlan provides free, FCA-authorized debt advice and a comprehensive suite of debt solutions to UK individuals struggling with unmanageable debt. Core offerings include formal insolvency solutions (IVAs, Trust Deeds, DROs, Bankruptcy, Sequestration), informal arrangements (DMPs, Debt Settlements, Repayment Arrangements, Administration Orders, DAS, MAP), and digital self-service tools (PlanFinder, BudgetSmart, PayPlan Plus client portal). The company is funded through arrangements with creditors rather than fees from clients.

Product overview

PayPlan is a debt advice and solutions provider offering a comprehensive portfolio of debt management products and services. The core offering consists of multiple formal and informal debt solutions including Debt Management Plans (DMP), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA) with a Self-employed variant, Trust Deeds (Scotland), Debt Relief Orders (DRO), Bankruptcy, Debt Settlements, Administration Orders, Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS), Repayment Arrangements, Minimal Asset Process (MAP), and Sequestration. Supporting the core debt solutions are digital tools including BudgetSmart (budget and savings tool) and PlanFinder (online debt solution finder), alongside the PayPlan Plus client portal. The company operates through multiple subsidiaries: PayPlan Partnership Limited (IVA services), PayPlan Bespoke Solutions Limited, and PayPlan Scotland Limited. Services are delivered via telephone, online chat, WhatsApp, and SignVideo BSL interpretation, with free advice provided to clients.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• BudgetSmart: Financial tool and resource hub helping users increase income and reduce bills across categories including car insurance, home insurance, healthcare, pet care, electricity, and water bills
• PlanFinder

Products and services

• Debt Management Plan (DMP)

Quantifiable outcome

• 36% increase in new IVAs to 5,270 in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration4 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Bipolar UKminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPayPlan works alongside Bipolar UK to connect clients with wider support for mental health challenges that often intersect with financial difficulties. Referrals are made when clients may benefit from specialized mental health support.
• GamCareminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support clients dealing with gambling-related debt issues. PayPlan refers clients to GamCare for gambling harm support when gambling addiction is identified as a contributing factor to debt problems.
• RefugeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to support clients experiencing domestic abuse, which often involves financial control and economic abuse. Referrals connect clients with specialist domestic abuse support services.
• National Bereavement ServiceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide bereavement support resources to clients who may be dealing with both grief and financial difficulties, often requiring debt advice during challenging life circumstances.
• SignVideocoreTechnology or IntegrationSignVideo provides British Sign Language interpretation services enabling deaf and hard-of-hearing clients to access PayPlan's debt advice services through video interpretation. The partnership includes SignVideo App and SignVideo Web options.
• MoneyHelpercoreGTM or Marketing PartnerPayPlan is listed as a trusted organization on MoneyHelper's debt advice locator service. MoneyHelper is a free, impartial government-affiliated service providing information on debt help and advice sources.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• StepChange Debt Charity: The UK's largest debt advice charity providing free debt help including DMPs, IVAs and DROs. Directly comparable to PayPlan in product set and target customer (distressed UK consumers), with similar FCA-regulated status and creditor-funded model.
• Citizens Advice: National advice charity providing free debt advice across England, Wales and Scotland alongside broader consumer issues. Directly comparable as a free, FCA-aligned debt advice provider serving the same UK consumer segment with overlapping solution coverage.
• National Debtline (MoneyHelper): Free debt advice service funded by the Money and Pensions Service, offering phone and web debt advice plus DMP setup. Directly comparable to PayPlan as a UK-wide, government-affiliated, free debt advice channel with overlapping solution set.
• Creditfix: UK IVA provider that has historically been one of the largest individual voluntary arrangement packagers in the UK market. Directly comparable to PayPlan's IVA business, competing for the same distressed consumer segment and creditor fee pool.
• Money Wellness: UK free debt advice provider offering DMPs, IVAs, DROs and bankruptcy advice across England and Wales. Directly comparable to PayPlan in target customer, product mix, and free-to-consumer funding model via creditor fees.
• Debt Advice Foundation: UK charity offering free, confidential debt advice and DMP setup across England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Comparable to PayPlan as a free debt advice provider operating under similar FCA-aligned standards with overlapping solution set.
• Aperture (formerly McCambridge Duffy): UK insolvency practitioner firm specialising in IVAs and debt solutions. Comparable to PayPlan Partnership Limited as a competitor in the IVA origination market serving the same distressed UK consumer base.
• McCambridge Duffy Insolvency Practitioners: Long-standing UK IVA and debt solution provider. Comparable to PayPlan Partnership Limited as a licensed insolvency practitioner competing for the same IVA origination flow from distressed UK consumers.

Others

• Totemic Group (parent holding structure): The parent entity above PayPlan that also owns other consumer financial services brands. Comparable as the corporate parent rather than a true competitor, included for completeness given its role in PayPlan's ownership structure.
• MoneyHelper (Money and Pensions Service): Government-affiliated free service that lists PayPlan as a trusted debt advice provider. Comparable as the umbrella referral ecosystem within which PayPlan operates; not a direct competitor but the primary distribution and trust signal channel for the UK debt advice market.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Payplan
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@PayPlanDebtHelp
• Facebookfacebook.com/Payplan
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/payplan
• Instagraminstagram.com/payplan_debthelp
• TikToktiktok.com/@payplan_debthelp

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Subsidiaries3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors1 record

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about PayPlan