Nothing Owed is a free service that offers tailored counselling for people struggling with household debt. 

The service was founded by me, Ben Houghton, after I completed a PhD in Social Anthropology in 2024. My doctoral research explored the experience of debt advice in the UK—not just as a legal service, but also as a social, moral, and psychological relationship. This research highlighted a crucial insight: most debt advice focuses solely on technical 'solutions' such as budgeting, repayment plans, insolvency options, and negotiation. These elements are significant, and I also provide clear, practical guidance on bailiffs, bills, and everything in between.

However, my approach goes further. 

I assist individuals in rethinking their perspectives on money, reciprocity, moderation, mutual aid, and proportion. Modern life often disrupts the rhythms that have supported human communities for centuries, making us all dependent on credit. Financial imbalance is not merely a challenge within our economic system; it is the system itself. Instead, I empower people to develop a counter-system in their own lives, one that fosters human flourishing by reclaiming lost perspectives.

I work with you to:

- Reduce overwhelming negative feelings

- Understand your situation holistically

- Identify realistic next steps

- Rebuild stability over time

- Help you help others

Debt counselling support, in this sense, transcends mere technical interventions aimed at combating an uncontrollable system; it is about nurturing a permanent lifestyle change, allowing you to live as if the system does not exist. Through my financial stability guidance, we together strive to create a more balanced and fulfilling life.