The right debt advice, at the right time, can make all the difference. How many struggling borrowers wouldn\'t be struggling today if they\'d had a bit of guidance yesterday?

In June, Justice Minister Bridget Prentice announced new proposals designed to help borrowers get the debt advice they need before it\'s too late.

Under the new proposals, all creditors will be required to write to borrowers before they take legal action against them, telling them how to get in touch and where they can find independent, free debt advice. According to the Ministry of Justice website, nearly nine out of ten respondents think that early advice like this \'would go a long way in helping people find ways to settle their debts\'.

Debt advice \"can make the difference between keeping your home or losing it\"
\"Getting the right advice at the right time can make the difference between keeping your home or losing it,\" said the Justice Minister. \"Today\'s proposals give people a chance to look for ways to tackle their debts, where to go for advice and the different ways repayments can be managed.\"

The Minister also pointed out that most creditors already encouraged people with debt problems to talk to them and/or get in touch with a debt advice provider, but she stressed that \"this new step will make it the norm for everyone.\"

Debt advice where it\'s needed
Before they come into effect, all the proposals will have to be included in civic procedure rules, which means they\'ll have to be recommended to the Civil Justice Council and the Civil Procedure Rule Committee.

From July onwards, all county courts will display posters telling people how to get in touch with organisations that provide debt advice for free - and later on in the year, the online claim form \'Possession Claim On-Line\' (which creditors use) will contain a similar list of free debt advice providers.

\"There\'s no question that early access to debt advice can make a huge difference to someone who\'s struggling to keep up with their debts,\" said a spokesperson for debt management company Gregory Pennington. \"As one of the UK\'s largest debt help companies, we\'ve been providing free debt advice for 15 years. Everyone\'s situation is different, but one thing is true of all debt problems: they don\'t go away on their own. In general, the earlier someone takes independent debt advice, the greater their chances of resolving their debt problems as easily (and cheaply) as possible.\"