Rent is due, an energy reminder has arrived and your account is almost empty. When you cannot pay your regular bills, even opening a letter can feel difficult. You do not need to organise everything before asking for help.
This guide concerns the Netherlands, with information checked on 22 October 2026. It explains how to organise your bills, contact the right people and propose something your budget can actually support. Arrears means money you owe after its payment deadline. You can ask for help before reaching that point, too.
Start with letters that cannot wait
Open your post, email and messages in providers’ official account areas. Look for payment dates and announced action. Does a letter mention eviction, disconnection or court proceedings? Contact your municipality promptly and explain the threat. Send the letter through the secure channel you agree on. Do not wait until your budget is complete.
There is no payment order that is safe for everyone. Consequences depend on the bill, previous agreements and how far the arrears have progressed. With several debts, ask for help deciding what needs attention first. The most forceful reminder does not automatically identify the best use of your last available money.
The Dutch government directs people with money worries to Geldfit and their municipality. You can make contact before things get worse. Mention any specific date in an urgent letter when asking for help.
List income, current bills and arrears separately
Gather bank statements, your payslip or benefit statement and unpaid invoices. Write down income amounts and arrival dates. Include only income that is sufficiently certain: applying for an allowance does not mean the money has arrived.
For each invoice, record the organisation, customer number, amount, deadline and current status. Add payments already made and existing arrangements, keeping their confirmations. A creditor is a person or organisation you owe money to. A debt collection agency collects money for a creditor. Use independently known contact details to check who is handling your bill now.
Keep ongoing costs separate from older arrears. Next month’s rent is still a new bill when last month’s rent remains unpaid. Another reminder for the same old invoice is not a second debt. Check invoice numbers before adding amounts together.
Include food, essential travel, healthcare and children’s costs. Where possible, set money aside for essential annual bills by dividing their cost by twelve. Our guide to what regular expenses are helps identify recurring items. Your list should show what genuinely remains after all essential current costs.
Propose only a plan you can maintain
Contact the creditor early, preferably before the deadline. Briefly explain that you cannot pay and ask about a payment plan: an agreement to pay in instalments. Suggest an affordable amount and a date when your income is available.
A proposal is not an agreement. Request written confirmation of the outstanding total, instalment amount, dates and any interest or fees. Ask what happens during the arrangement to collection activity, meaning steps to recover the debt. Do not assume those steps pause or costs disappear.
Have several debts? Do not promise every organisation your entire spare amount. The same €30 can only be spent once. Ask the municipality to help if you cannot work out a sustainable allocation or have nothing available.
Example: €300 overdue and €30 available
Imagine one unpaid bill of €300. After every essential current cost, including new bills and money set aside, you genuinely have €30 a month left. These figures are fictional.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Outstanding debt in euros | 300 |
| Affordable instalment in euros per month | 30 |
| Number of months without interest or fees | 10 |
The calculation is €300 ÷ €30 = 10 monthly instalments. This works only if the creditor agrees and no interest or extra fees are added. Otherwise, ask for a fresh calculation. Your new monthly bills continue throughout the arrangement.
Promising €75 a month does not fit: you would be €45 short each month. You would create a new shortfall to repay the old debt faster. A small workable proposal is more useful than an amount you cannot maintain. The creditor still does not have to accept an affordable proposal.
A message you can adapt
Replace the brackets with your own details:
Hello, I cannot pay invoice [number] for €[amount] on time. After my essential current costs, I can pay €[amount] a month from [date]. Could you tell me whether a payment arrangement is possible? Please confirm the total balance, any interest and fees, payment dates and arrangements for further collection activity in writing. You can reach me at [contact details].
Keep your message and the reply. After a call, note the date and what was discussed. If there is no response, follow up through an official channel. If you later cannot meet an agreed instalment, explain this immediately and request a review. Making a request does not automatically change an existing agreement.
Find free help and check support
You can call Geldfit free on 0800-8115 on weekdays. The Dutch government says questions can also be anonymous. Start with: “I don’t know which bill to tackle.” Geldfit can help you consider the next step and support nearby.
Ask your municipality about schuldhulpverlening, help organising and addressing debts. The Dutch Tax Administration also directs people to municipal debt support. Give as complete a picture as possible, including tax bills and existing plans. Asking for help does not automatically cancel debts or secure every creditor’s agreement.
Check official portals for support you might be missing. Start with the Dienst Toeslagen benefits calculator and your municipality’s website. Our guide to finding government support points you in the right direction. Conditions differ; count a possible payment as income only once it is sufficiently certain.
Make next month manageable too
A new loan or buy-now-pay-later purchase shifts the shortfall and creates another obligation. Do not treat it as an automatic solution. Look at reducing regular expenses, counting savings only once you know when they start. Avoid cancelling essential services in a rush.
If the main difficulty is reaching your next payday, read running short before payday. If your usual monthly budget remains negative, tell the municipality clearly: changing a payment date alone will not fix that.
Choose two actions today: open urgent post and contact a creditor or support service. When you cannot pay your bills, an honest overview and one achievable next step are a start.