The main cost categories
| Category | What it covers | When it applies |
|---|---|---|
| Application fee | Receiving and opening the prescribed debt-review application. | At the application stage. |
| Professional assessment | Interview, affordability analysis, certificates of balance, outcome work and proposal preparation. | During the initial restructuring process. |
| Legal fee | Preparing and referring the application for a consent order, tribunal or court process. | Once the legal route and written consent are established. |
| After-care | Ongoing support, creditor queries, annual reviews and payment monitoring. | During the repayment period. |
| PDA fee | Distribution of the single monthly amount to credit providers by a registered agency. | With monthly distributions. |
Questions you should ask any counsellor
- Which fees are regulated and which require separate written consent?
- When will each fee be collected?
- Who will provide the legal services?
- Which registered Payment Distribution Agency will distribute the payment?
- What happens if the application is rejected or you cannot continue?
- How will you receive statements and track progress?
Alliance commitment: We explain the applicable schedule in plain language before a Form 16 is signed. A free initial conversation is not itself an application.
Beware of misleading “free” or removal promises
A free assessment does not mean that the regulated process has no costs. Equally, a company asking for large unexplained upfront payments or promising instant removal should be treated cautiously.