National Debtline

What National Debtline does

National Debtline is a UK-registered debt advice charity that provides free, confidential, and independent debt guidance to individuals experiencing financial difficulty. It is operated by the Money Advice Trust, a registered charity (no. 1099506) and company limited by guarantee (no. 4741583) headquartered at Tricorn House, 51-53 Hagley Road, Birmingham. The service is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority under reference number 618928, and serves more than 100,000 people annually across England, Wales, and Scotland, drawing on over 30 years of operational history since its founding in 1994.

The service is delivered through three primary channels: a free telephone helpline (0808 808 4000) and live webchat staffed by expert advisers during extended weekday and Saturday hours, and My Money Steps, a 24/7 online self-service tool that delivers tailored advice without requiring contact with an adviser. Supplementary resources include an A-Z debt advice guide library and a downloadable sample-letter library covering topics such as bailiffs, creditors, court action, credit scores, and cost-of-living pressures. As a registered trademark of the Money Advice Trust, My Money Steps represents the organisation's primary self-service digital asset.

National Debtline operates as a direct-to-consumer charity with no sales force, no channel partners, and no fees charged to users. All services are provided free of charge, funded instead through charitable grants and public funding channelled via the Money Advice Trust. Distribution is driven by organic search, content marketing across topical debt guides, word-of-mouth referrals, and structured relationships with Members of Parliament (via an MP Constituency Hub), other charities, creditors, courts, and social services. The organisation does not generate revenue from customers and does not employ paid acquisition; its competitive positioning rests on FCA regulation, brand trust built over three decades, and structural price advantage over fee-charging debt management companies.

Name

National Debtline

Legal name

Money Advice Trust

Website

https://nationaldebtline.co.uk

Company type

Private

Founded year

1994

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

National Debtline is a UK debt advice charity run by the Money Advice Trust that provides free, FCA-regulated debt guidance to more than 100,000 individuals annually across England, Wales, and Scotland via phone helpline, webchat, and a 24/7 online tool.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Consumer Debt Advisory Services

NAICS

Credit Intermediation and Related Activities (522)

SIC

Services-Consumer Credit Reporting, Collection Agencies (7320)

akta.pro primary industry

Financial Literacy, Debt Counseling & Default Prevention (EDALAJAK)

Keywords

• Debt advice services
• Financial counselling
• Consumer debt help
• Debt management guidance
• Free debt advice

Headquarters

HQ city

Birmingham

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

Revenue model

1. Charitable funding: National Debtline is a registered charity run by the Money Advice Trust (registered charity no. 1099506). As a free service, it does not generate revenue from customers. It is funded through charitable grants and public funding.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels3 records

Core offering

National Debtline is a free, FCA-regulated debt advice charity that helps individuals manage and overcome unmanageable personal debt. It delivers confidential, independent support through a phone helpline, live webchat with expert advisers, and the 24/7 My Money Steps online self-service tool, supplemented by an A-Z debt guide library and a sample letter library. The service is provided at no cost to users and is funded through charitable grants and public funding.

Product overview

National Debtline is a single, unified debt advice charity service run by the Money Advice Trust, offering free, impartial, expert debt advice to more than 100,000 people annually. The core service consists of the National Debtline phone and webchat advisory service, supplemented by the My Money Steps online self-service tool (available 24/7), an A-Z information guide library, and a sample letter library. Users can access support via phone (0808 808 4000), live webchat, or the My Money Steps online portal, with all services regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Phone Helpline Free telephone advice service staffed by expert debt advisers for individuals struggling with debt, available Monday-Friday 9am-8pm and Saturday 9:30am-1pm.
• Webchat Live webchat service connecting users with expert debt advisers during operating hours (Monday-Friday 9am-8pm, Saturday 9:30am-1pm), with sessions typically 30 minutes to 1 hour.
• My Money Steps 24/7 online self-service debt advice tool providing personalised, anonymous guidance for dealing with debts without needing to speak to an adviser. Registered trademark of the Money Advice Trust.
• Information Guides (A-Z Debt Advice) A-Z library of expert, easy-to-read information guides covering debt solutions, bailiffs, creditors, credit scores, court action, and cost of living, freely accessible without registration.
• Sample Letter Library Collection of downloadable template letters that users can customise for communication with creditors and other debt-related correspondence.

Quantifiable outcome

• Helps more than 100,000 people each year

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Money Advice TrustcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational Debtline is a debt advice service run by the Money Advice Trust, a registered charity (no. 1099506) and company limited by guarantee (no. 4741583). The Money Advice Trust provides the operational framework, governance, and funding for National Debtline.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Broad incumbents

• Citizens Advice: Citizens Advice is the UK's largest general advice charity, providing free, FCA-regulated advice including debt advice alongside wider consumer, housing, and benefits guidance. Comparable as a broad free advice incumbent that overlaps National Debtline's debt-advice offering.
• MoneyHelper (formerly Money Advice Service / MAS): MoneyHelper is a UK government-backed money guidance service offering free, impartial debt advice and money tools. Comparable as a free, publicly-funded debt-advice provider with overlapping helpline and digital advice channels.

Regional players

• Citizens Advice Scotland: Citizens Advice Scotland operates as the Scottish equivalent of Citizens Advice, providing free debt and wider consumer advice in Scotland. Comparable as a regional peer covering the same Scottish geography that National Debtline also serves via Scotland-specific guidance.

Direct peers

• StepChange Debt Charity: StepChange is the UK's largest debt advice charity, offering free, FCA-regulated debt advice via phone and online channels. It is the most direct comparable to National Debtline, operating the same free, regulated, charity-funded consumer debt-advice model.
• Christians Against Poverty (CAP): CAP is a UK debt counselling charity offering free debt help through a network of local church-based centres, supported by phone and online advice. Comparable as a charity-funded, FCA-aligned debt advice provider targeting financially distressed UK consumers.
• PayPlan: PayPlan is a UK free debt advice and solution provider (operated by Baringa Partners under StepChange Group), offering free debt management plans and IVAs via phone and webchat. Comparable as a free consumer debt-advice channel in direct competition for the same user base.
• Money Advice Plus: Money Advice Plus is a UK charity providing free debt advice and money guidance through its National Debt Advice line and other services. Comparable as a smaller-scale direct peer offering free, charity-funded consumer debt advice.
• Money Wellness: Money Wellness (formerly Talking Money) is a UK debt advice charity offering free, confidential advice and money guidance via phone, webchat, and online tools. Comparable as a direct peer in free, FCA-aligned, charity-funded UK debt advice.

Emerging players

• The Money Charity: The Money Charity is a UK financial education charity focused on money education, debt awareness, and improving financial capability, especially for young people. Comparable as a thematic peer in the free debt-awareness and financial-literacy space.

Others

• AdviceUK: AdviceUK is the membership body for independent UK advice charities, providing infrastructure, training, and standards support. Comparable as an adjacent ecosystem enabler to National Debtline within the UK free debt-advice sector.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-debtline

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 National Debtline