They are authorised either by the Secretary of State for Trade and Industry or by one of a number of recognised professional bodies. The trustee in bankruptcy is either the Official Receiver or an insolvency practitioner who takes control of your assets. The trustee's main duties are to sell these assets and share the money out among your creditors. The Insolvency Service and the Court Service cannot accept responsibility for the information, advice, or other services provided by these organisations. The Business Debtline provides a free telephone debt counselling service for the self-employed person or small business facing financial hardship.
Advice is free, independent and confidential.
Lines are open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 4pm, and there is a 24-hour answering machine service. The CLS Directory lists solicitors and advice agencies in your area. The CCCS is a registered charity dedicated to providing free, confidential counselling and money-management assistance to financially distressed families and individuals. Lines are open Monday to Friday from 8am to 8pm. This is a one-stop service run by the Department of Trade and Industry.