What is a charge for payment?
A charge for payment is a formal document demanding payment before certain enforcement steps can be taken. Scottish Government guidance says you will usually have 14 days. It is different from an ordinary reminder sent by a collection agency. Read the official explanation.
Use the deadline on your own papers and get advice about how it is calculated. Do not assume every debt procedure uses the same notice or timetable.
What to do when it arrives
Keep all the documents together, including the envelope and any Debt Advice and Information Package. Record when and how you received them.
When contacting an adviser, provide:
- the creditor and sheriff-officer firm;
- the court, decree or warrant reference;
- the amount, including any separate expenses;
- the date and deadline shown;
- any earlier court response, payment agreement or payment evidence;
- whether your wages, bank account, home or essential belongings are already affected.
An adviser can check whether a time-to-pay application or another response is available. Eligibility and procedure vary; do not assume that asking the collector for instalments is the same as obtaining a court order.
What can happen after the deadline?
Where the necessary legal requirements are met, a creditor may use diligence. Examples include earnings arrestment, bank arrestment or attachment. The available action depends on the debt and authority involved.
A deadline passing does not mean every possible measure will happen immediately. It does mean you should avoid treating a formal charge as routine correspondence. Read bank and earnings arrestments if those measures are mentioned.
If the debt or paperwork is wrong
Show the adviser evidence of mistaken identity, a disputed balance, payments already made or lack of knowledge of the earlier proceedings. Ask what response is needed now, not just how to complain later.
A complaint about conduct is a separate issue from challenging a decree or complying with a procedural deadline. Do not assume one replaces the other.
Would a trust deed stop the charge?
Discussing or applying for a trust deed is not confirmation of protected status. Tell the proposed trustee about the charge immediately and ask an independent adviser about any appropriate interim option.
Read the limits of trust deed protection before relying on it. Do not sign an insolvency arrangement simply because a deadline feels frightening; payments, fees, assets and alternatives still need a full assessment.
Sources & further reading
Sources checked for this guide on 6 September 2026. Follow the original guidance for full detail.
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0 where indicated by the source. No government endorsement is implied.