I have debts I cannot pay — where do I get free help?
Free, confidential help exists in every country and works better the earlier you go. Commission de surendettement (Banque de France) / Points conseil budget (34 14) is the debt-advice service for France: they look at everything you owe, stop the panic, negotiate with creditors and, if needed, start the legal debt-relief route. Your MDPH / CCAS / Conseil départemental (APA) (monparcourshandicap.gouv.fr) can refer you and may cover emergency costs. Point-justice / aide juridictionnelle (3039) is for the legal side — a bailiff at the door, a garnishment, a court letter. Do not take a "consolidation loan" from an advert; that is how debts grow.
🗣️ What to say
"I have debts of about [total] to [number] creditors and I can no longer keep up. I would like a first appointment to go through my income, my debts and my options — including a payment plan or debt relief."
🪜 Step by step
- Make the listEvery creditor, amount, and what is already in collection. Bring the letters, even unopened.
- Book with Commission de surendettement (Banque de France) / Points conseil budgetFree, non-judgmental. They can write to creditors on your behalf and freeze interest in many cases.
- Protect the essentialsRent, energy and food first. Contact those creditors before anyone else; they have hardship procedures.
- Payment plan or reliefA plan you can keep beats a plan that looks good. If the debts are hopeless, the legal debt-relief scheme wipes them after a set period.
- Court letters: Point-justice / aide juridictionnelleA court letter has a deadline. Never ignore it — respond or bring it straight to your adviser.
📇 All contacts
❓ Frequently asked
Will my employer or family find out?
Not from the adviser. A garnishment of wages does reach the employer, which is one reason to act before it gets there.
Can I keep my home?
Usually, if you keep paying rent or the mortgage. Say so to the adviser first thing — housing is protected in every plan.
Is the legal debt relief really free of debts at the end?
Yes, apart from a few exceptions such as fines and maintenance. It takes discipline for a few years and a clean start after.
📎 Sources
- Commission de surendettement (Banque de France) / Points conseil budget →
- MDPH / CCAS / Conseil départemental (APA) →
- Point-justice / aide juridictionnelle →
- Mairie — police municipale / services techniques →
🔎 Common searches
Recognise your own search? The answer above covers all of these.
- “free debt advice France”
- “debt help France cannot pay”
- “debt relief scheme how does it work”
- “bailiff at the door what are my rights”
- “stop interest on debts”
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