Ask a question

Helping Customers in Financial Difficulty

At Tesco we are committed to treating customers fairly. This means being reasonable and decent towards our customers. Seeing their side and treating them as we would like to be treated.

We acknowledge that some of our customers may be facing difficult times and encourage you to contact us directly and at an early stage if you are experiencing financial difficulty. We will deal with all cases sympathetically and you, or your adviser, will be able to speak with specialist staff who will work with you to determine an affordable payment plan.

To help people in financial difficulties we have worked with the UK's leading debt charity, Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS) to provide access to their online debt counselling tool CCCS Debt Remedy. This service aims to provide you with a personalised solution to your financial difficulties in about 20 minutes, it's anonymous and free of charge.

Who else can help, should I consider using a
fee-charging debt management company?

You are probably aware that in addition to a number of organisations that offer free debt advice, there are companies that charge a fee for managing your debts. You may have seen adverts for companies that handle debts on behalf of customers for a fee. However, their fees mean that you will be paying your debt for a longer period. It is your responsibility to check the fees that may be charged before asking these companies to act on your behalf. If you decide to use one of these companies, you should make sure that you read all of the small print and fully understand the terms of the agreement before you continue.

It is worth asking yourself why you would want to pay an organisation for a service that you can get for free elsewhere. You may want to talk to your family, friends or support agencies who may be able to help. Many people find it helpful to get advice from a specialist debt counsellor (usually called a money adviser). There are several organisations that offer free independent debt advice, and you can talk to them face to face or by phone.

Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS)

CCCS is a registered charity that offers free and impartial advice to those in financial difficulty. You can access their services online by visiting their CCCS Debt Remedy tool which has been produced in association with Tesco. Alternatively you can call them free of charge on: 0800 138 1111.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

The CAB offers free face-to-face assistance to people with severe financial difficulties through their network of local offices. You can get the phone number of your local bureau from the phone book, the local library or from the website:

National Debtline

This helpline that provides free confidential and independent advice on how to deal with debt problems. They can be contacted on 0808 808 4000 or via www.nationaldebtline.co.uk.

Helping you manage your money

We have a range of lifestyle guides to help you with buying a car, planning a holiday and saving for special occasions.

You can also access the following tools to help you budget and manage your money:

Need to contact us?

If you have some questions to ask why not get in touch...

  • Find out more about contacting us...