Emergency guide
I got a medical bill I can't pay, or a claim was denied
A medical bill or a denial can start several clocks at once. This page lists what to do today, the deadlines that may have started, who to call and words you can use.
General information, not legal advice. Rules depend on where you live. If you have a letter, notice or form with a date on it, get advice before that date passes.
Checked 9 October 2026 · re-check due 9 April 2027 · To keep a copy, use your browser’s print or share menu.
First: are you safe?
If this has you thinking about ending your life, call or text 988 in the US, or call Samaritans on 116 123 in the UK, at any hour. If anyone is in danger now, call 911 in the US or 999 in the UK. Do not put off care you need because of a bill; the steps for the bill are below. If a bill has left you with no food in the house tonight, call 211 in the US; in the UK, find your nearest food bank through Trussell, below.
Today
- Do not ignore the bill, and do not pay it yet. Put every bill, letter and explanation of benefits in one place and write down the date printed on each one. The dates on your own papers come before any date on this page.
- UK: NHS hospital care is free for people who live in the UK, and for most people whose visa came with the immigration health surcharge. So a bill is usually for something else: a dental charge, a prescription charge in England (prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland), or private care. Check what the bill is for before you pay it.
- Ask for an itemised bill, in writing, with every charge on its own line. If you have insurance, put it beside your insurer's explanation of benefits (the insurer's letter saying what it paid and what it did not) and see whether they agree.
- US: if a doctor outside your plan's network billed you after emergency care, or after care at an in-network hospital or surgery center, federal law usually protects you from that bill. Before you pay, call the No Surprises Help Desk, below.
- US: a notice and consent form can give that protection up only for some planned care. It can never give it up for emergency care, anesthesia, X-rays and scans, lab tests, pathology, newborn intensive care, assistant surgeons, hospitalists or intensivists, or when no in-network doctor was available.
- US: before you agree to a payment plan, a medical credit card, or put the bill on your own credit card, ask the hospital for its financial assistance policy, which some call charity care. A nonprofit hospital must have one. CFPB says that once a bill is on a card it may be harder to get assistance, and some medical cards charge back-dated interest if the balance is not cleared in time; you can still ask for assistance.
- If the problem is a denial, find the date on the denial letter: your appeal runs from it. If a debt collector has written, its first notice shows the date to dispute by. Write both on the first page of your folder.
- If court papers arrive, they give a date to answer by, and it can be soon. Contact legal aid (LawHelp, below) the day they arrive. You can still apply for the hospital's financial assistance.
The clocks that have started
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one. The details of each are on the page online; its address is at the bottom.
Deadlines that can start when this happens, soonest first. Tap one to see when it starts and what happens if you miss it. Your own letters give your dates; when two dates could apply, count from the earlier one.
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
Dispute a collector's debt in writing when it first contacts you30 days to dispute the debt in writing.United States (federal rule)
- Starts
- the day you get the debt collector's first notice (the validation notice). The notice shows the end date of your period: that date comes before any date on this page. If you have no notice yet, count from the collector's first call or letter.
- If missed
- CFPB says that not asking in writing in time can affect your ability to use your rights under the debt collection rule. Ignoring a valid debt usually will not make the collector go away: it may sue, and court papers have their own date. If the debt is a medical bill: a court cancelled (vacated) the federal rule that would have kept medical debt off credit reports on 11 July 2025, so no federal rule does that now; dispute any error with the credit reporting company, and complain to the CFPB if that fails.
- It lets you
- send a written dispute, or ask for the name of the original creditor: the collector must pause collecting the amount you dispute until it replies with verification. You can still dispute after the 30 days, but the pause is only promised inside them.
Starts with the collector's first notice, which may come by mail or electronically, or soon after a first call. The notice shows the end date.
Where this differs: A bill still with the business you first owed, such as a hospital or a card company, and not passed to a collector, does not start this clock: ask that business what it will do. If you have asked a hospital for financial assistance and the application is pending, tell the collector in writing and ask it to pause: CFPB says that does not stop other legal ways to collect. Your state may add its own protections: ask legal aid (LawHelp).
Checked 9 October 2026 at Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Appeal a Medicare decision120 days for Original Medicare.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- 120 days for Original Medicare. Your MSN also prints the date to appeal by: use whichever comes first. A Medicare Advantage plan gives less: 65 days from the date on the plan's denial notice.
- Starts
- the date printed on the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) that shows the decision. Medicare counts from the day you get it, which it takes to be 5 days after that date: count from the printed date to be safe.
- If missed
- you may still file and get a decision if you can show good cause for missing the deadline, for example illness, disability or an accident that delayed you. A Medicare Advantage plan asks you to give a reason for filing late.
- It lets you
- ask the Medicare contractor to look at the decision again. Circle the item on a copy of your MSN and explain in writing why you disagree, or use the Redetermination Request form; ask your provider for information that may help. You will generally get a decision within 60 days. If you still disagree, you have 180 days after the decision letter to ask for the next level. In a Medicare Advantage plan you appeal to the plan, by the date on its notice.
Where this differs: Drug plans and Medicaid put their own appeal dates on their notices, and a Medicaid date can be shorter than any date here: use the notice. A free State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) counselor can help you file. CFPB says that if you are in the Qualified Medicare Beneficiary programme, providers should not bill you for services Medicare covers: call 1-800-MEDICARE if one does.
Checked 9 October 2026 at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Appeal your insurer's denial (internal appeal)Federal rules give at least 180 days (about 6 months) to file, and your plan may give longer; the date in your denial letter or plan papers comes first.United States (federal rule)
- Starts
- the date printed on the denial notice (the denial letter or the explanation of benefits). The rule counts from when you receive it, so count from the date on the letter to be safe.
- If missed
- HealthCare.gov does not say what happens to a late appeal. Do not count on one being heard: file now, and ask the plan in writing what it will accept.
- It lets you
- ask your insurer to look at the decision again. Fill in the forms it requires, or write with your name, claim number and health insurance ID, and add anything that helps, such as a letter from your doctor. Your state's Consumer Assistance Program can file the appeal for you. For care you have already had, the insurer must finish the appeal within 60 days. If you have an urgent health situation, you can ask for an external review at the same time.
Where this differs: Medicare, Medicaid and other public programmes use their own appeal rules and dates: read the notice you were sent (see the Medicare clock). A plan through a private employer also follows Department of Labor rules, which give at least 180 days; the Department's Employee Benefits Security Administration answers questions on 1-866-444-3272. Your state's Consumer Assistance Program and insurance department can help you file.
Checked 9 October 2026 at HealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Ask for an independent external review after your insurer says no again4 months after you receive the final denial.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- 4 months after you receive the final denial. To be safe, count 120 days from the date on the letter. The letter tells you how and where to ask, and its date wins.
- Starts
- the date on your insurer's final denial letter after your internal appeal. Count from the date on the letter. In an urgent case you can ask for it at the same time as the internal appeal.
- If missed
- HealthCare.gov names no later route, so do not wait.
- It lets you
- have an independent reviewer decide the denial. If the reviewer decides in your favour, your insurer is required by law to accept it. A standard review is decided within 45 days of your request; an urgent one within 72 hours or less. It costs nothing if your insurer uses the federal process; otherwise the charge cannot be more than $25.
Where this differs: Only some denials can go to external review: those that involve medical judgement, a treatment called experimental or investigational, or cancelled cover over incorrect application information. Ask your plan or your state's Consumer Assistance Program whether yours qualifies. Your state may run its own process. Plans that began before the Affordable Care Act and have not changed since (grandfathered plans) may not have to offer it: check your denial letter.
Checked 9 October 2026 at HealthCare.gov (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services)
Dispute a bill far above your good faith estimate, the written price you were given before care (if you did not use insurance)120 days (about 4 months).United States (federal rule)
- Starts
- the date on your initial bill. CMS words it two ways: a bill dated within the last 120 days, and a dispute started within 120 days of getting the bill. Count from the date printed on the bill.
- If missed
- you will usually lose this federal dispute route; if something outside your control made you late, ask the No Surprises Help Desk whether an extension is possible. The other steps stay open: ask for an itemised bill, apply for financial assistance, ask for a lower bill or a payment plan, and find a patient advocate.
- It lets you
- if you had no insurance or did not use it, got care on or after 1 January 2022, had a good faith estimate, and one provider or facility charged at least $400 more than its own estimate, ask an independent reviewer to decide what you should pay. You pay a $25 fee, which is taken off what you owe if you win. While the dispute is open, the provider cannot send your bill to collections or threaten to, and cannot take action against you for disputing it. If the bill is already with collections, the provider must stop pursuing it until the dispute is decided.
Only if you did not use insurance.
Where this differs: This route is only for people who did not use insurance, and only if you had a good faith estimate (you get one when you book at least 3 business days ahead, or if you ask; not in emergency care). If you used insurance it is not open to you: use your insurer's appeal, and for a surprise bill from an out-of-network provider call the CMS No Surprises Help Desk on 1-800-985-3059 (open 7 days a week). A state that runs its own approved dispute process may send you there instead of the federal one.
Checked 9 October 2026 at Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS)
Ask a nonprofit hospital for financial assistance before collection steps startAt least 240 days (about 8 months) from that first bill, for a hospital run by a nonprofit (tax-exempt) organisation.United States (federal rule)
- How long
- at least 240 days (about 8 months) from that first bill, for a hospital run by a nonprofit (tax-exempt) organisation. The hospital's own financial assistance policy gives its real deadline, which can be longer: the date in its policy and on your papers wins. Under the federal rules for these hospitals, for at least the first 120 days it should not start extraordinary collection actions (selling the debt, reporting it to credit bureaus, a lawsuit, a lien, taking wages, or delaying or refusing needed care because of the old bill), and it must give you written notice at least 30 days before it does.
- Starts
- the day of the first bill the hospital sent after you left it (the first post-discharge bill). Count from the date printed on the earliest bill you have for that care; if you cannot find it, ask the billing office for its date. Each hospital stay or visit has its own clock.
- If missed
- once the application period has closed and you have had the written notice, the hospital may begin collection actions. The IRS says a hospital may keep accepting applications at any time, so ask anyway and ask what its policy says.
- It lets you
- ask the hospital for its financial assistance policy and application, and apply. To follow the rule, the hospital must pause collection actions once it has a complete application, decide, and tell you in writing. If you qualify, it cannot charge you more than it generally bills insured patients for emergency or other medically necessary care (the policy may give free care or a discount), must refund anything you paid above what you owe (unless under $5), and must take reasonable steps to undo collection actions already taken, including a credit report entry.
Ask before you agree a payment plan or put it on a card.
Where this differs: Only hospitals run by tax-exempt nonprofit organisations are covered: ask the billing office whether yours is one. The hospital's policy lists which doctors and groups it covers; a doctor or group that bills you separately may not be covered. Other hospitals may have their own policy: ask. Some states add their own charity care rules: ask legal aid (LawHelp) about yours. Each hospital's policy says how it treats insured patients.
Checked 9 October 2026 at Internal Revenue Service
In the United Kingdom
Answer an NHS letter about a prescription or dental charge (England and Wales)28 days from the date the enquiry letter is issued to respond.England and Wales
- How long
- 28 days from the date the enquiry letter is issued to respond. After a Penalty Charge Notice is issued, a surcharge may be added if nothing has been paid within 28 days. The dates on your own letters come first.
- Starts
- the date on the NHS Business Services Authority enquiry letter. If you do not answer it, a Penalty Charge Notice follows, and that notice has its own date.
- If missed
- you are sent a Penalty Charge Notice and must pay the original charge and a penalty of 5 times it, up to 100 pounds. A challenge is usually not accepted if your exemption certificate had expired or if you were misadvised by your doctor or pharmacy.
- It lets you
- answer online (Respond to your letter) or by chat, open 9am to 3pm Monday to Friday. Or phone: 0300 330 9291 for a prescription charge, 0300 330 1293 for a dental charge (Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm). You can challenge the letter or the notice if you were entitled to free prescriptions or free or reduced-cost NHS dental treatment, or had a valid prescription prepayment certificate at the time, or have an exceptional reason and can show you did not act wrongfully or carelessly. You may be asked for proof. You can pay a notice by Direct Debit over a number of months, or by card.
Where this differs: England, and NHS dental claims in Wales (prescriptions are free in Wales and Scotland). Scotland and Northern Ireland run their own checks: use the number on your letter. If you cannot afford the charge, see the next clock about help with NHS costs.
Checked 9 October 2026 at NHS Business Services Authority
Get help with NHS dental, prescription and other charges, and claim refunds in timeA refund claim must reach the NHS Business Services Authority within 3 months of the day you paid.England, Scotland and Wales
- How long
- a refund claim must reach the NHS Business Services Authority within 3 months of the day you paid. A prescription refund needs the FP57 receipt that you must ask for at the counter when you pay, because you cannot get it later; take it, with proof you were entitled to free prescriptions, to a pharmacy within 3 months of paying. Help from the Low Income Scheme starts from the date the Authority gets your form, so apply as soon as you know your income is low.
- Starts
- the day you pay an NHS dental or prescription charge (for a refund), or the day the NHS Business Services Authority gets your Low Income Scheme form (for help from then on).
- If missed
- a late dental refund claim needs an explanation, and not knowing you could claim is not accepted as a reason.
- It lets you
- if your income is low, apply to the NHS Low Income Scheme for full help (an HC2 certificate) or partial help (HC3) with prescription and dental charges, sight tests, glasses, travel to treatment and wigs. You can claim a refund for treatment you have already paid for at the same time. If you or your partner get certain benefits you may already be entitled to full help and need not apply. If you are not sure whether you are exempt, the NHS says to pay the charge first and claim a refund once you are sure.
Where this differs: England, Wales and Scotland. Prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; dental charges apply in every nation. Scotland and Wales use their own dental refund forms. You cannot apply for the Low Income Scheme if you or your partner have more than £16,000 in savings. Northern Ireland: download form HC1 from nidirect and post it to or hand it in at your Jobs and Benefits office; help counts from the day that office receives it.
Checked 9 October 2026 at NHS Business Services Authority
Who to call
Jump to: United States · United Kingdom
In the United States
if the bill is from a hospital: free help applying for its financial assistance. It does not take phone calls; you use the form on its site
dollarfor.org · Online form any time; team follows up on weekdays
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the hospital bill and the amount you owe after insurance and any other payer
- your income and who lives in your household (most hospitals count everyone on your tax return)
- proof of income such as pay stubs, tax forms or bank statements, which you upload with the patient form
They may ask
- about your bill, your income and your expenses, on their patient form
They can
- check whether your hospital bill may qualify for financial assistance, then prepare and send the application to the hospital for you, free
- help you in English and Spanish
- work with you without asking about your citizenship status
They cannot
- take or return phone calls: use the contact form on the site
- pay your bill, or promise a result: the hospital decides
- help with bills from a pharmacy, dentist, ambulance or other provider: it only helps with hospital bills
- give legal advice: ask legal aid in your state
- make sure your application is in on time: it is your job to send it before the deadline
for a bill from a doctor outside your network, a notice and consent form, or a bill far above your good faith estimate: the federal help desk, 7 days a week
Call 1-800-985-3059 · Weekdays 8am to 8pm ET; weekends 10am to 6pm ET
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the bill, and your insurer's explanation of benefits if you have insurance
- any notice and consent form you were given or signed
- your good faith estimate, if you did not use insurance
They can
- answer your questions about the No Surprises Act and whether it applies to your bill
- help you submit a complaint against your provider or facility, by phone or online
- direct you to other agencies that can help if the Act does not cover your bill
- help you in Spanish and over 350 other languages, and send resources in large print, Braille or audio
They cannot
- act as your lawyer or give medical advice
- pay or lower the bill themselves: they do not offer financial assistance
Open weekdays 8am to 8pm ET and weekends 10am to 6pm ET.
Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (complaints)
if a debt collector will not stop, or a credit report is wrong: file a complaint online or by phone
Call (855) 411-2372 · 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday (except federal holidays)
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your name, email, phone number and address: the site needs them to make your account, and without an address the company cannot respond
- the key facts in your own words, with only the most important dates, amounts and messages with the company
- documents that back up the facts, such as account statements and messages with the company, up to 50 pages
They may ask
- which company you are complaining about: pick it from the list, or give its contact details
They can
- send your complaint to the company and ask for a response, which the site says is generally within 15 days and sometimes up to 60 days
- take your complaint by phone on (855) 411-2372, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET, Monday to Friday except federal holidays, if you cannot use the online form
They cannot
- take a second complaint about the same problem, so put everything in the first one
- delete your personal information after you submit: it is kept under federal records rules, currently for 25 years
- report the scam itself: for that the CFPB says to contact your local police or sheriff, your state attorney general and the FTC
Online takes under 10 minutes; by phone it takes 25 to 30 minutes
billing and claims questions on Medicare, and more about appeals
Call 1-800-633-4227 · 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except some federal holidays)
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your Medicare Number, and the Medicare Summary Notice (MSN) that shows the decision, with its date
They can
- answer billing questions and questions about your claims and expenses, by phone or in your secure Medicare account
- give you more information about the appeal steps and what each level needs
- take calls from TTY users on 1-877-486-2048
They cannot
- talk to someone else about your case unless you have filled out an Authorization to Disclose Personal Health Information
- answer for a Medicare Advantage or drug plan's appeal: your plan's papers say how to appeal
State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP)
free one-on-one Medicare counseling, including help with an appeal
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your Medicare Number and any Medicare Summary Notice or plan letter about the decision
They can
- give you free one-on-one counseling about Medicare
- help you file a Medicare appeal (Medicare.gov names SHIP as a place to get this help)
They cannot
- be reached on one national phone number: pick your state on shiphelp.org to find your local SHIP and its number
- pay your bill
US Department of Labor, Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA)
if your health plan comes through a private employer: free help with an appeal or a complaint about the plan
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- a short explanation of the problem, and proof you filed a claim (the denial letter)
- the name, address and phone number of your employer or plan official
- your employment dates, policy number or other ID numbers
They may ask
- for your permission to contact the plan for you, if needed
They can
- explain how the law applies to your plan and what options you have
- contact your plan for you and try to settle the dispute informally
- ask your plan administrator for your Summary Plan Description if the plan has not given it to you
They cannot
- give legal advice or take your case to court
- promise a result: their page says you may not always get the remedy you want
care you still need: health centers that adjust fees by income and family size
findahealthcenter.hrsa.gov · Website, any time
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your city, state or zip code, to search for centers near you
They can
- find local clinics that treat medical, dental, mental health and other health care needs
- show contact information and directions for each center
- lead you to centers that adjust their fees based on income and family size and serve everyone, even if they cannot pay
They cannot
- tell you what you will be charged: each center sets your fee from your income and family size
help with the cost of medicine: free lists of programs and a free discount card
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the name of the medicine, or your diagnosis, to search the free lists
They can
- help you find programs that give free or discounted medicine, coupons and rebates, affordable health clinics, and help with costs tied to a diagnosis
- give you a free drug discount card
- take helpline questions on 1-800-503-6897 or by email to info@needymeds.org
They cannot
- be a patient assistance program, take applications, or answer questions about an individual program: contact that program
- help you on the administrative office line (978-281-6666): it is for business use only
- take your personal details by email: the site asks you not to send personal information about your situation
say what is happening, for example: I have a medical bill I cannot pay and I need help with it
Call 211 · 24/7 in most areas
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- a few facts about your current living situation
- any income you have
- the children or other dependents who live with you
They may ask
- about your current living situation
- about any income you have
- about any children or other dependents who live with you
They can
- connect you to local help with rent, mortgage, utilities, food and health care
- talk to you by phone; some local 211s also offer text and web chat, so check yours
- use 180 languages on request
- keep the call confidential, and it can be anonymous
- give you other ideas if you do not qualify for one program: you can call again
They cannot
- give you money themselves: 211 is the number for information and referrals to services
- help in a life-threatening emergency: call 911 first if you or someone you love is in one or may be a danger to someone else
finds free legal aid in your state, if you are sued over the bill or a collector will not stop
lawhelp.org · Online
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- the state or territory where you live: the site starts by asking you to choose it
They can
- send you to legal aid and other low-cost legal help near you
- give you legal help guides, including one on court fees and getting them paid
- help you create legal documents for free in areas such as housing, with LawHelp Interactive
National Foundation for Credit Counseling
a nonprofit counselor to plan your bills and debts with you; most member agencies are free but some charge, so ask about fees first
Call 1-800-388-2227 · Call for current hours; online help any time
Before you call: what to have ready
They may ask
- some intake questions, to work out which credit counseling services fit you best
- what you want a review for, such as credit card debt, household budgeting, or foreclosure prevention, plus your name, zip code, email, phone and preferred language (English or Spanish), if you use the online form
They can
- connect you with an NFCC-certified credit counselor for a confidential consultation
- review your financial goals and budget with you one on one and create a personalized financial action plan
- work with you and your creditors on a debt management plan, which can potentially stop collection calls and legal action if you keep your part of the agreement
- help you find an NFCC member agency in your area, through the Agency Finder or on 800-388-2227
- make you an appointment with a counselor in person, online or by phone, and tell you how to prepare, which may mean gathering certain financial documents first
They cannot
- promise it is free: most NFCC-member agencies offer free credit counseling, but some charge for specific services and fees vary by agency and state law
- contact your creditors unless you set up a debt management plan or other payment plan
- keep your online form between you and NFCC: by sending it you agree they may share it with member agencies and other third parties, who may call, text or email you
- promise the calls and legal action will stop: their page says they can potentially stop, and calls are likely to stop if you keep your part of the agreement
In the United Kingdom
Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
free advice on debt, benefits and money problems (England)
Call 0800 144 8848 · Usually 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday. Not available on public holidays.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode if you call from a mobile: if you do not have one, say one nearby such as a GP surgery, takeaway shop or taxi company
They may ask
- your postcode, from a mobile, to find your local Citizens Advice
They can
- connect you to your local Citizens Advice (Adviceline, England)
- talk to you by online chat: Universal Credit claims 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, debt 9am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9:30am to 1pm Saturday
- help with a new Universal Credit claim through Help to Claim, free and confidential, from the application to the first payment
- take Relay UK calls (18001 then 0800 144 8848)
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Adviceline is not available then
- cover all of the UK on this number: it is for England, Wales has a separate Advicelink line, and there are a few parts of England not yet covered
- help everywhere: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the start of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later. Calls are free from mobiles and landlines.
Citizens Advice Cymru (Advicelink Wales)
the same help in Wales
Call 0800 702 2020 · Monday to Friday 8am to 7pm. Saturday 9am to 1pm.
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- connect you to an adviser through Advicelink (Wales) on 0800 702 2020, free from mobiles and landlines
- talk to you by online chat about any other kind of problem, usually 9am to 5pm Monday to Friday
- take Relay UK calls: 18001 then 0800 702 2020
- point you to the Citizens Advice consumer service for problems with energy, water or post
They cannot
- answer on public holidays: Advicelink is not available then
- help you in person if you live outside your local office's area: most local Citizens Advice can only help if you live or work in their area
Usually busiest at the beginning and end of the day. At busy times you might wait up to an hour, and a call not answered within an hour is disconnected, so try again later.
Citizens Advice Scotland (Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline)
the same help in Scotland
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- your postcode: the page finds your local Citizens Advice Bureau by postcode
They can
- put you through to an adviser at your local bureau by phone on 0800 028 1456, the Scottish Citizens Advice Helpline
- give free, confidential and impartial advice, and help you work out next steps
- raise a complaint with an energy supplier for you through its Extra Help Unit, if you may be considered vulnerable or at risk of disconnection
- give advice online, on its advice pages
the same help in Northern Ireland, including debt
Before you call: what to have ready
They can
- give advice on benefits, personal debt and managing bills, through the freephone helpline on 0800 915 4604
- answer by email at advice@adviceni.net
- point you to an Advice NI member near you if you need face-to-face advice
They cannot
- see you in person themselves: for face-to-face advice you contact a local advice centre run by an Advice NI member
free debt advice if a bill you cannot pay has become a debt
Call 0800 138 1111 · Phone: Monday to Friday 8am to 8pm, Saturday 9am to 2pm. Online advice any time.
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- details of all the money you owe: if you are not sure, your credit file lists your missed payments
- a budget showing what you can and cannot afford: StepChange says to share one with the people you owe
They can
- give free debt advice online at any time of day or night, and let you stop and begin again later
- tell you your options for dealing with what you owe, including debt management plans
- help you ask the people you owe to pause action or agree new payment terms
NHS Low Income Scheme (NHS Business Services Authority)
if NHS dental or prescription charges are too much, or you got a penalty charge letter: help with costs, and the penalty lines
Call 0300 330 1343 · Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm, Saturday 9am to 3pm
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- details of your income, savings and housing costs, and your partner's if you have one
- receipts for any NHS charges you have already paid, if you want a refund
They can
- help you make a Low Income Scheme claim and answer questions about it
- review your claim if you think it was assessed wrongly
- take calls through Text Relay: dial 18001 then the number
They cannot
- take a claim from someone with more than £16,000 in savings (with a partner, counted together)
- take a Northern Ireland claim: download form HC1 from nidirect and take it to your Jobs and Benefits office
Open Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm and Saturday 9am to 3pm.
checks which benefits you could claim; some benefits already give full help with NHS costs
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- about 10 minutes: the Grants Search says it takes that long
They can
- check which means-tested benefits you may be able to claim, free and confidential, with the Benefits Calculator
- search for charitable grants, which is money that does not have to be paid back, with the Grants Search
- help you find an adviser near you with the Find an adviser tool
- walk you through each stage of a Personal Independence Payment application with the PIP Helper
They cannot
- give personal one-to-one support: Turn2us no longer offers it
- take a grant application from you: the Grants Search points you to other organisations that give grants
- give you a phone number of their own: if you cannot use the online tools, their site points to Help through Hardship, which gives free confidential phone advice in England and Wales but does not offer direct payments, grants or loans
if there is no food in the house: find your nearest food bank. You need a food voucher first, from a local organisation; the page says how to get one
Before you call: what to have ready
Have ready
- how many adults and children the parcel is for, and the ages of any children: volunteers check these from your voucher
- any dietary requirements: say so when you get your voucher so the food bank can prepare
They may ask
- the community organisation that gives you a voucher asks about your individual needs, so it can help you find the right support
They can
- help you find your nearest food bank
- give an emergency food parcel with at least three days of meals once you have a food voucher from a local community organisation
- sometimes provide pet food and essentials such as toiletries and period products, where they can
- sometimes offer extra support, such as debt advice or a trained Citizens Advice adviser
- sometimes deliver food parcels: ask when you get your voucher, or contact the food bank
They cannot
- give you a parcel without a food voucher: you need a referral first
- usually give you a voucher online: you will usually need to contact a community organisation by phone or in person, and in some cases the food bank directly
Say it this way
Change anything to your own words.
Hello. I have a bill dated [date], account [number]. I cannot pay it right now. Could you send me a fully itemised bill, and a copy of your financial assistance policy and application? What is the deadline to apply, and can the account be put on hold while I do?
Hello. I am calling about a claim denied on [date], claim number [number]. Could you tell me the exact reason, the date my appeal is due, and where to send it? Could you also send me, in writing, the documents you used to decide? I plan to appeal.
I am writing about the account in your notice dated [date]. I dispute this debt. Please send me written verification of it and the name of the original creditor. I am also applying for the hospital's financial assistance. Please pause collection until that is decided.
Hello. I have a letter dated [date] about an NHS charge, reference [number]. Could you tell me what it is for, the date I need to answer by, and what proof of my entitlement you need? I would also like to ask about the NHS Low Income Scheme.
Not for you if…
This guide is for someone holding a medical, dental or hospital bill they cannot pay, or an insurer's denial, in the US or the UK. It is not for an emergency: if you need care now, get the care first; this page deals with the bill. It is not for you if you used insurance and want the good faith estimate dispute: that route is only for people who did not use insurance, and the insurer appeal clocks only fit people who did. If the bill is from a doctor, an ambulance or a lab rather than the hospital, the hospital's financial assistance may not cover it: its policy lists who it covers, so ask. Ground ambulance bills are generally outside the federal No Surprises protections, unless your state's law covers them. If you have Medicare or Medicaid, the appeal rules and dates are different and can be shorter: use the notice you were sent, and a Medicare counselor can help. If you are sued or court papers arrive: the papers give a date to answer by and it can be soon: contact legal aid (LawHelp, below) the day they arrive, and you can still apply for the hospital's financial assistance. A lawyer or a free adviser is also the right next step if wages are being taken, if a collector is asking you to sign something, or if a hospital refuses to look at your application. In the UK, for a private provider's bill, ask Citizens Advice. If you do not live in the UK and have been billed for NHS hospital care, do not ignore the bill: an unpaid NHS charge can count against a later visa application. Get advice from Citizens Advice, below, before you pay or agree anything. If you paid the immigration health surcharge with your visa, tell the hospital: you may not owe it. In the UK, if a private medical or dental insurer turns down your claim and your complaint to it does not settle it, the Financial Ombudsman Service looks at these complaints for free: ask Citizens Advice how to take it there.
A different emergency? Account frozen or closed · Benefits stopped · A car accident · Suspended or excluded from school · Debt collector or court papers · Eviction notice · Flood, fire or storm · Unsafe home · Hurt at work · Paid a scammer · Lost my job · Lost wallet or phone · Nowhere to sleep · Shutoff notice · Someone died · Someone is missing · A tax bill · Told to leave home
From the library
I got a medical bill I can’t pay — what now?
I got a shutoff notice, court papers or a denial letter — what do I do before the date?