iThe advice on this page applies to anyone with personal debts taken out in the UK.
If you’ve received a lump sum of money, you can use this to pay back your creditors by arranging a 'full and final settlement' to your debts.
You can get a lump sum of money from selling an asset, such as a property or a vehicle, receiving an inheritance, or it could be a gift from family or friends.
If it’s the best solution for you we have a specialist debt advice team who can help you make full and final settlement offers to your creditors.
How do full and final settlement offers work?
Depending on how much money you have, you might be able to repay all of the money you owe and become debt free.
But if the lump sum you have is less than the amount you owe to your debts you can make ‘full and final settlement’ offers. This means offering the lump sum you have in return for your creditors agreeing to ‘write off’ the rest of the debt.
How do you make a settlement offer?
You can make settlement offers to all of your debts, sharing out the lump sum fairly among them.
Not all creditors will be willing to accept reduced settlement offers. They’re more likely to agree this if it would otherwise take you a long time to repay them.
- Firstly you need to work out how much to offer your creditors and then send your offer to them in writing.
- Always ask your creditors to confirm they accept your offer in writing before you send them any money.
- Keep any letters your creditors send to you about the settlement offer just in case you need to refer to them again in the future. We recommend keeping these letters safe for at least six years after you’ve paid the settlement amount.
- You may find not all your creditors are willing to accept your offer of settlement and you’ll have to negotiate with each one individually. It’s possible that none of your creditors will accept a full and final settlement.
- If your offers are accepted, make sure you send payment to each creditor by the date they give you. Keep proof of payment.
Use our template letter to offer a full and final settlement to your creditors
What percentage should I offer a full and final settlement?
It depends on what you can afford, but you should offer equal amounts to each creditor as a full and final settlement. For example, if the lump sum you have is 75% of your total debt, you should offer each creditor 75% of the amount you owe them.
Can I remove settled debts from my credit report?
If you agree a full and final settlement your creditor will mark the debt as ‘partially settled’ on your credit file. This shows future creditors that the debt was cleared for less than the full amount, and this could affect their decision about whether to lend to you.
The account will be removed from your credit file six years after it was partially settled, or six years after the date it defaulted if this was earlier.
Get some expert help and advice
If you’ve received a lump sum of money and you’re struggling to repay your debts, get free, online debt advice to find the right solution for your situation.
We'll provide you with a budget and debt solution that’s specifically tailored to your situation, so you know you’re getting the right advice.
We're rated
4.8 out of 5
Read reviews of StepChange »Av. ratings for our service by DMP/DRO clients after 3 months.
"Get in touch with StepChange, you'll wish you'd done it sooner" Rob, Wiltshire
