May not be suitable in all circumstances. Fees apply. Your credit rating may be affected.
Free debt counselling, debt adjusting and providing of credit information services is available to customers by contacting MoneyHelper.
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DAS Scotland help Scottish residents with their unaffordable debt by setting up regulated, formal debt solutions including the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) and Trust Deeds.
The solutions that we offer can reduce your monthly payments down to a more affordable level, can protect your home and car and can freeze interest and charges. Depending on the solution that you choose, you may even be able to write off some of your unaffordable debt.
Problem debt can happen to anyone. You are not alone, we’re here for you. Take the first step towards a brighter future today and find out more about your options!
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Types of debt that can be included:
How the Debt Arrangement Scheme works
A Debt Payment Programme will reduce your unsecured debts down to just one affordable monthly payment and will freeze interest and charges.
On completion of your DPP, all debts included in your plan will be written off.
Credit Cards
£8,814
Personal Loan
£8,909
Store Cards
£2,404
Council Tax Arrears
£808
Total Debt £20,935
Old
£909
New
£191
Payment
Reduction
79%
*Subject to creditor acceptance. Payment subject to individual circumstances. Credit rating may be affected. Example Debt Payment Plan only
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We’ve helped over 30,000 people in Scotland to manage their debt.
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There’s no obligation, and it will always be 100% confidential and secure.
Frequently asked questions
Length – Trust Deeds last for a typical duration of 4 years. In some cases, this may be extended to 5 years.
After this time, any remaining unaffordable debt is paid off. With the Debt Arrangement Scheme, they last until all your debt is repaid, this can be up to 12 years but could also be sooner.
Unsecured debt amount – To qualify for a Protected Trust Deed, you must owe at least £5,000 of unsecured debt such as credit cards and loans. For DAS, there is no minimum debt level required in a Debt Payment Programme (DPP).
Assets – DAS does not involve any assets.
When you’re looking for Debt Help in Scotland, you should always get debt advice tailored to your own circumstances, as your case is unique and will depend on factors finding your assets and affordability. Things that are unique to you.
Yes, however, your expected write-off amount will be dependent on your individual circumstances.
*The expected debt write-off figure of up to 70% is based on 1,671 Protected Trust Deeds currently administered by Trust Deed Scotland® and protected between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023.
The expected write-off percentage includes the costs of administering each Protected Trust Deed (PTD). More information relating to the costs of administration can be found by clicking here.
In this sample of PTDs, the expected write-off figure reaches as high as 84%. 226 PTDs or 13.5% of the cases have an expected debt write-off percentage between 70% and 84%. The average (mean) expected write-off is 51%.
Your decision to apply for a Protected Trust Deed should not be taken purely on a proposed debt write off amount alone. It is very rare for a Trust Deed not to be protected with Trust Deed Scotland® and we have one of the best protection rates in our industry, for example, in 2023, we achieved a protection rate of 98.6%, this made us the best performing volume provider of Protected Trust Deeds in Scotland.
DAS Scotland provide tailored debt advice on all available debt solutions in Scotland.
We make sure that our customers get personalised debt advice based on their affordability, lifestyle and needs. May not be suitable for all. Will affect credit rating.
To find out what your options are, simply complete our online form or just call us on 0141 241 6299.
If you’d like to find out whether you would qualify for the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) you should give us a call on 0141 241 6299 and you can then speak to an experienced debt adviser to find out what your options are. Your circumstances are unique to you and by getting tailored debt advice, you will have a clearer idea of the types of formal debt solutions you may be eligible for.
In addition to qualifying for a DAS, you may also qualify for a Protected Trust Deed which may allow you to write off a significant amount of unaffordable debt.
To qualify for the Debt Arrangement Scheme you would typically:
Couples who live together as spouses, civil partners of each other or are living together as if spouses of each other can apply for a joint Debt Payment Programme, even where they are not jointly liable for any debt(s).
How long does the DAS take to setup?
The Debt Arrangement Scheme can take 5–6 weeks to set up. DAS is not insolvency, it is the only statutory debt management plan in the UK, however, there are some procedures required.
These include requesting up to date balances from creditors, preparing a proposal that is sent to creditors, and dealing with potential objections.
Using our DAS Wizard tool helps to speed up those administration processes and having an in-house team that handles the Debt Arrangement Scheme from initial enquiry, to DAS application and implementation helps to secure a Debt Arrangement Scheme quicker than most other approved DAS Money Advisors.
A Debt Payment Programme (DPP) is the term used to describe the repayment plan you would agree to repay under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) in Scotland.
It sets out how much you are able to pay towards your debts each month, and how long you’d be expected to make those payments before the debts were cleared entirely.
The DPP is proposed to your creditors and once approved then your creditors are bound by its terms as long as you stick to the agreement.
Your Debt Payment Plan can include most unsecured debts, including:
✓ Credit Cards ✓ Store Cards ✓ Personal Loans ✓ Overdrafts ✓ Payday Loans ✓ Council Tax Arrears ✓ Utility Bill Arrears ✓ Shopping Catalogues ✓ Credit Unions ✓ HMRC
The following secured debts but only the arrears – this is optional:
✓ Mortgage Arrears, which are missed mortgage payments ✓ Rent Arrears, which are missed rent payments ✓ Car Finance Arrears, which are missed payments on your car, such as with an HP agreement
The following cannot be included in a DAS: Student Loans. Court Fines. CSA / Child Maintenance Arrears
Find out more about Trust Deeds too as there variations in the types of debt that can be included in a DAS.
Yes. As long as you maintain your repayments under the finance agreement then there should be no reason why you would have to give up your car while repaying your debts through the Debt Arrangement Scheme.
It’s worth noting that should you enter into a Protected Trust Deed that while a car is considered to be an asset, typically you may be allowed to keep your car and continue to repay the car finance as usual. However, this is complicated by the value of the car and advice should be sought in advance of entering into a Protected Trust Deed.
When considering asking for Debt Help In Scotland, we would always advise that you speak to an experienced debt adviser as this will help ensure that you receive tailored debt advice, tailored to your own circumstances.
In Scotland, the Debt Arrangement Scheme is a formal debt solution that offers a way to manage your unaffordable debt.
You can reduce your monthly debt payments down to an affordable level and reach a brighter future in a fixed timescale.
If you qualify, for the Debt Arrangement Scheme, a DAS could be right for you depending on your personal circumstances and ultimately you should be given qualified debt advice to explain to you the advantages of DAS and the disadvantages of DAS. Trust Deeds and Sequestration may also be solutions that are applicable for you.
You should never feel pushed into taking a DAS, or indeed any other type of formal, or informal debt solution including debt consolidation loans.
When asking yourself the question Is a DAS right for me, only you can make that decision after receiving tailored debt advice that makes you feel confident that you are aware of the pros and cons of the solution and how it may affect your lifestyle and needs. Call us on 0141 241 6299 for advice today, or try our DAS Wizard tool now.
When you enter into the Debt Arrangement Scheme (or a PTD) your future interest and charges will be frozen.
When you successfully complete the DAS term, any remaining interest and charges will be written off.
When you enter into a Debt Payment Programme (DPP) under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (Scotland), you will legally freeze the interest and charges from the debts included in your DPP.
Like Protected Trust Deeds, you will be paying back an agreed, affordable amount each month for a fixed period, and should you successfully complete the agreed DPP term, you will not need to repay interest and charges.
Trust Deeds in Scotland are only available to residents who have lived in Scotland for at least six months before they apply. Trust Deeds can allow for a large percentage of your unaffordable debts to be written off and, typically last a period of 48 months.
You would usually have at least £5,000 of unsecured debts to qualify. This would include unsecured debts such as credit card debts, bank overdrafts, and unsecured personal loans.
If you want to find out if you’d qualify for a Trust Deed or alternative solutions; use our DAS Wizard tool.
If you are based in England, Wales or Northern Ireland then debt solutions such as an IVA or a Debt Relief Order may be a more suitable alternative for you.
Trust Deed Scotland® is a registered trademark and trading name of Harper McDermott Ltd.
Trust Deed Scotland® give tailored debt advice on Protected Trust Deeds and other alternatives including Debt Arrangement Schemes.
Not only do Trust Deed Scotland® give advice on Scottish debt solutions in Scotland but they also implement the solutions on your behalf. This means that you remain with Trust Deed Scotland® from the initial enquiry, during the process and thereafter. This continuity in service means that you’re not passed onto numerous companies during the process.
Trust Deed Scotland® have helped over 30,000 people in Scotland get their finances in shape, and have a 5/5 rating on Trustpilot based on thousands of trust deed reviews. Over a decade, Trust Deed Scotland® have become Scotland’s No.1 Trust Deed Specialists.
Trust Deed Scotland® explain financial matters in plain English and offer a service that is non-judgemental, confidential and there’s no obligation to agree to anything after deciding to proceed with any formal solutions.
No. DAS; the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) is not a type of Bankruptcy (Sequestration in Scotland) it is instead a structured, formal debt repayment plan for residents of Scotland.
Insolvency solutions including Protected Trust Deeds may usually allow for a percentage of the original debt to be written off but this should not be the only deciding factor in your decision. Additionally, you not always be eligible for those solutions.
A DPP will last until all debts are repaid. Entering into a DAS won’t affect your home or mortgage providing you keep up with the repayments of your rent/mortgage, which is separate from your DAS repayments.
However, as the Debt Payment Programme (DPP) is agreed using your true affordability then you will have enough budget to pay both your new, reduced contribution to your debts and your more important bills known as priority debts. These priority bills include things like your rent and mortgage and other bills such as utility bills and council tax.
There are no setup fees payable by an individual entering into a Debt Payment Plan (DPP) through the Debt Arrangement Scheme. This is the same for all individuals whether they use an insolvency practitioner/private sector firm (e.g. Harper McDermott Ltd) or a public sector organisation (e.g. CAB or local authority Money Adviser).
The costs of administering the scheme are borne by the creditors and are the same for all DAS providers i.e. from every £ received into the scheme, 22p is used to pay these costs; this 22p is split between the DAS Administrator (2p) and the Money Adviser (20p).
There may also be a payment made to the Payment Distributor (PD) and, if so, this would result in the Money Adviser’s fee being reduced by the same amount as paid to the PD (normally around 5p in the £).
The remaining amounts are distributed amongst all creditors on a pro rata basis and a successfully completed DPP deems all debts to be repaid in full.
The fees and expenses of your DPP will be explained in detail in your DAS paperwork. You do not have to pay additional fees other than those you agree to and if you do not proceed with a solution after seeking advice then there is no charge for our services.
This means that at no point during the duration of your DPP will you be liable to pay ongoing fees, 100% of your repayment amount is used to make payments to your debt. This includes the free DAS advice that you receive even before you even apply. See DAS Scotland fees for more information on how
Our current Debt Payment Programme (DPP) under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS) creditor acceptance rate is 99.8%.
This means that in almost every case that we’ve proposed on our customers’ behalf, we have been able to get their DAS proposal approved by their creditors. A creditor is someone to who you money. For example, a credit card company or catalogue company.
In this sample of 2,839 Debt Payment Programmes (DPPs) under the Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS), approved between January 2021 and December 2023, only 7 proposed DPPs were rejected and unable to proceed.
You can find out more about the advantages and disadvantages of the Debt Arrangement Scheme by calling DAS Scotland on 0141 241 6299.
The expected debt write-off figure of up to 70% is based on 1,671 Protected Trust Deeds currently administered by Trust Deed Scotland® and protected between 1 January 2023 and 31 December 2023. The expected write-off percentage includes the costs of administering each Protected Trust Deed (PTD). More information relating to the costs of administration can be found by clicking here. In this sample of PTDs, the expected write-off figure reaches as high as 84%. 226 PTDs or 13.5% of the cases have an expected debt write-off percentage between 70% and 84%. The average (mean) expected write-off is 51%.
When you’re struggling with debt and looking for ways to get back to a level you’re comfortable with – you may be contemplating what informal and formal debt repayment plans are available to consider, and have seen companies offering a debt management plan. A Trust Deed in Scotland is a way of managing debts in … Continued
