Fresh Start UK

What Fresh Start UK does

Fresh Start UK (legal entity: Fresh Start UK Debt Management Ltd) is a Hull-based, FCA-authorised (reference 663122) financial advisory firm founded in 2009 that provides regulated debt management advice to UK consumers experiencing financial difficulty. The company offers a comprehensive suite of debt solutions — Debt Management Plans (DMP), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA), Debt Relief Orders (DRO), Administration Orders, Bankruptcy, Trust Deeds (Scotland), the Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland), and the Government Breathing Space scheme — alongside the ADAMM digital platform, which enables 100% online, conversation-free debt advice and DMP/IVA applications. Supporting tools include an online debt assessment form, a budget planner, and credit card/IVA/consolidation calculators, with the website and SEO-optimised blog serving as the primary acquisition engine.

The business operates as a direct-to-consumer, sales-led advisory supported by a self-serve digital layer, reaching customers through phone (01482 247999), WhatsApp, email, web forms, and the ADAMM platform. The go-to-market combines human debt advisors with a digital-first experience, and the firm is led by an Executive Chairman (Graydon Butler) alongside a C-suite covering operations, compliance, and technology. According to company disclosure, the firm has assisted 12,000+ customers since 2009, holds a 4.9/5 Trustpilot rating across 398 reviews, and reports a 99.7% success rate in stopping interest and charges on managed debts.

The revenue model is primarily a tiered monthly subscription on DMPs (priced £42–£97/month based on the number of debts managed, with higher first-12-month fees to reflect administrative load and a hard cap at 50% of the customer's monthly payment), supplemented by a transaction-based Settlement/Lump Sum Service (20% of savings achieved, £70 minimum, £2,000 maximum) available to existing DMP customers. The firm operates in a heavily regulated category where creditors, debt purchasers, and collection agencies (Capital One, HSBC, Lloyds, Barclays, NatWest, TSB, MBNA, Lowell, Hoist, PRA Group, etc.) are counterparties rather than customers, and recurring fee income is structurally tied to the duration of customer debt plans.

Name

Fresh Start UK

Legal name

Fresh Start UK Debt Management Ltd

Website

https://freshstartltd.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Fresh Start UK is an FCA-authorised, Hull-based debt advisory firm founded in 2009 that provides regulated debt management solutions — DMPs, IVAs, DROs, Trust Deeds, and Breathing Space — to UK consumers, combining human debt advisors with the ADAMM online advice platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Debt Management Services

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Finance Services (6199)

akta.pro primary industry

Debt Management Plans (DMP) Administration (FSAEAFAB)

Keywords

• Debt management advice
• Debt management plans
• Individual voluntary arrangements
• Debt relief orders
• Credit counselling

Headquarters

HQ city

Kingston upon Hull

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Monthly Management Fees (DMP): Fees charged for managing Debt Management Plans, based on the number of debts being managed. Fees are tiered based on debt complexity and are capped at 50% of monthly payments. Higher fees apply during the first 12 months due to increased administrative work.
2. Settlement/Lump Sum Service: Optional service for existing customers with lump sums to negotiate settlements with creditors. Charges minimum of £70 or 20% of savings achieved, capped at £2,000.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Fresh Start UK provides FCA-regulated debt management advice and debt solutions to UK individuals struggling with unsecured debts. Core offerings include Debt Management Plans (DMP), Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA), Debt Relief Orders (DRO), Administration Orders, Bankruptcy guidance, Trust Deeds (Scotland), Breathing Space scheme, and the Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland), delivered through both human advisor consultations and the proprietary ADAMM digital platform.

Product overview

Fresh Start UK is a debt management company offering a portfolio of regulated debt solutions and digital tools. The core offering consists of formal debt solutions including Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVA), Debt Relief Orders (DRO), Administration Orders, Bankruptcy, and Trust Deeds (Scotland), alongside informal Debt Management Plans (DMP). The company also provides the Breathing Space government scheme and Debt Arrangement Scheme for Scottish residents. Supporting the core products is ADAMM, one of the UK's first fully digital debt advice platforms enabling 100% online, conversation-free applications for DMPS and IVAs. Additional digital self-service tools include a Budget Planner, Debt Planning Calculators (Credit Card, IVA, Consolidation), and an Online Debt Assessment Form. The company differentiates through a combination of human advisor support and digital-first self-service options, all provided under FCA authorization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ADAMM (Advanced Debt and Money Management): A digital online debt advice service allowing customers to get debt advice through an online platform without speaking on the phone.

Quantifiable outcome

• 99.7% success rate in stopping interest and charges on managed debts
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers18 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• National Debtline: Free telephone and online debt advice service offering DMPs and similar solutions. Directly comparable target market and service mix; differs by being charity-funded.
• StepChange Debt Charity: The UK's largest debt advice charity, offering free DMPs, IVAs, and DROs. Directly comparable to Fresh Start UK in product range and target customer, but operates as a not-for-profit with no fees — the dominant competitive force in the category.
• Citizens Advice: National network providing free debt advice and casework including DMPs. Comparable in customer segment and core service offering; differs in being publicly funded and free to consumers.
• Creditfix: UK-based for-profit IVA specialist with a digital-led marketing approach. Directly comparable to Fresh Start UK in fee-based debt solution model and UK consumer segment, with overlap on IVAs and DMPs.
• PayPlan (Money Wellness): Free debt management plan provider, part of the Money Wellness group. Closely comparable in DMP product offering and target customer; operates free-of-charge funded by creditors.
• Christians Against Poverty (CAP): UK charity providing free debt counselling and DMP setup. Directly comparable service model and customer segment; differs in being free and faith-based.
• McCambridge Duffy: UK debt solutions firm offering IVAs, DMPs, and sequestration advice. Closely comparable business model, customer segment, and product portfolio to Fresh Start UK.

Broad incumbents

• Money Helper (Money and Pensions Service): UK government-backed free financial guidance service covering debt, money, and pensions. Broadly comparable in debt advice domain as a public incumbent, but covers wider financial guidance.

Others

• Lowell Financial: One of the UK's largest debt purchasers/collectors, and a creditor that Fresh Start UK negotiates with on behalf of customers. Adjacent rather than competitive — sits on the opposite side of the same debt relationship.
• Hoist Finance: European debt purchaser active in the UK market and a counterparty creditor in Fresh Start UK's DMP negotiations. Comparable ecosystem participant rather than direct competitor.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/FreshStartUK_DM
• Facebookfacebook.com/FreshStartUKDM
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fresh-start-uk

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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 Fresh Start UK