Don't get caught out by new Buy Now Pay Later rules

If you’ve bought something via Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) since the summer, then you’ll have been tested to see if you can afford it.

BNPL has always been a type of loan, usually paid back in instalments, but it’s only been officially regulated since July.

This means stricter background checks on your ability to repay.

If you fail, then your purchase via BNPL will be blocked. If there’s a chance of this happening to you, here are some ways to approach the situation.

What are the new rules?

BNPL lenders – such as Klarna, Clearpay and others – must now have regulator approval to operate, giving shoppers more access to refunds and independent rulings on complaints if things go wrong.

But new affordability checks on each BNPL transaction could also leave you blocked from services for the first time.

There are different affordability checks for different purchases, partially based on how much is borrowed.

But, with the expensive festive season approaching, here’s how to avoid being blocked when time and finances are tight.

How do I avoid being blocked?

Here are four things to consider if you find your account is closed or your borrowing limit has been massively reduced, from Sara Williams, a former volunteer debt adviser at Citizens Advice who posts tips as Debt Camel on social media.

• Slow down your purchases: is what you are buying essential or can you postpone it?

• Be more careful about what you buy to avoid needing a high credit limit to, for example, buy lots of clothes in different sizes

• Cancel subscriptions to escape the trap of having to use BNPL to make up for the cost of previous payments

• Talk to debt charities for help and access to food bank vouchers if you are using BNPL for essentials

Slow down your purchases: is what you are buying essential or can you postpone it?

Be more careful about what you buy to avoid needing a high credit limit to, for example, buy lots of clothes in different sizes

Cancel subscriptions to escape the trap of having to use BNPL to make up for the cost of previous payments

Talk to debt charities for help and access to food bank vouchers if you are using BNPL for essentials

Avoid getting into debt

If you are struggling to make repayments on any type of loan – BNPL or otherwise – you should seek help before things spiral out of control.

The government-backed, independent, MoneyHelper website, external has a guide to finding free debt advice near you, external.

It also suggests writing down exactly what you owe, to help plan how you will repay the money.

There are also tools to work out if you are receiving all the benefits and grants you are entitled to, and a bill prioritiser, external to show which payments to make first and what to do if you miss a payment.

You should also be sceptical of supposed debt solutions you might see on your social feeds.

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