Thank you for the information, one letter from the OC says it's been 'referred' to a DCA. Another letter from a different creditor says it has been 'transferred" to a DCA and the DCA says they have been 'instructed' to collect the debt.

Hi What is the difference between a credit card company 'referring' a debt to a DCA and them selling it on? How do you know which one it is and what is the difference?

So did I - apparently if I was still serving I could take it at 55 but since I'm not it's got to sit there till I am 60!

Hi Honeybee, thanks for your help and pointing me in the right direction, unfortunately it seems I have to wait till I'm 60 to get it! Depressing!! Thanks again

Brill thanks for the info HB

I'm sorry I have little info, it is possibly called the 1987 scheme?

Hi I have a Metropolitan Police preserved pension, does anyone know at what age I can draw on it please?

Thanks for that, i'm going round this afternoon so that we could draft a letter.

Hi thanks for your quick response. I think the account is open as they keep sending statements through although they don't use it. I am fairly sure that interest is still being added. My mum is not actually being chased for the outstanding amount they just get monthly statements. My mother has a bank account with the halifax which is her account she uses and a barclays account which she doesn't. She has no assets and yes she has credit card debts which she can just about manage.

Hi i'm not sure if I should start a new thread or continue on this one? Re the above my Father went bankrupt in the end which went ok ish, he is devastated that it got to that. We have one slight problem though, my Mum and Dad had a joint account which is overdrawn, obviously the bankruptcy didn't deal with this as it has now fallen to my Mum to pay off. It's around £2500 which she doesn't have. She has some credit cards of her own and she manages these just so has no spare income. I am looking for some advice as to what we do next please?

Ok thank you, I think we will get rid of hers too.

Ok Thank you dx and everyone, I am very grateful for all your help. One last question, are any of the credit cards I've listed connected to Nat West bank in any way. They have a one which I'm hoping they can use. Thanks again everyone for your help.

God no, they haven't lied to get it. My Father used to have a good job and they owned their own house. They weren't rich but comfortable.

I think most of them are oldish, I'm sure my father has had most of for ages. I have to admit I was really taken aback.

Here goes HSBC CC £7096 NATIONWIDE CC £2833 LLOYDS BANK CC £486 (Account closed) CAPITAL ONE CC £3470 BARCLAYCARD CC £ 5725 SAGA CC £980 MBNA American express CC 3054 MBNA American express CC £1782 MARKS AND SPENCER CC 921 MARKS AND SPENCER STORE CARD (I THINK IT'S HARD TO TELL) £1496 DEBENHAMS STORE CARD £1799 Those are in my fathers name, he banks with HSBC, which I understand is overdrawn. My mothers has cards in her name BARCLAYCARD £8801 TESCO CC £4114 DEBENHAMS STORE CARD £253 My Mother banks with Barclays. They have a joint Nat West account which they seem to use to bay bills The most frightening thing is between them they have access to over £100 000 in credit.

Hi, I have collected exactly what the debt is and with whom. I have not yet contacted anyone, I was hoping to get some advice first. We haven't set up a parachute account yet, it is possible they have one which has no debt attached. Also having looked at the state of his affairs I wasn't sure anyone would give him one? Although having said that, I don't think he misses any payments. If my parents drop the payments to a pound a month as recommended above, can someone explain what will happen next?

Hi there, is there any one who can still help with this one? I'm sorry it has taken so long, it was way more distressing than I anticipated and worse than first thought.

Thank you I will have more info tomorrow.

Thank you I will ask him for a beak down of the debts but I won't get a reply till tomorrow. They are no longer homeowners, they sold their house and their savings was to be their 'nest egg'. They have no other debt apart from credit cards, their car is oldish is and worth little and they have no assets apart from I think they still have around £2000 of Premium Bonds.

I'm just gutted for them, he still does work on the side to supplement income - he is 79yrs old! Apparently he cried the other day, my father just doesn't do that. I am devastated for them at their time of life, from what I can gather so far is it's just built up over time.

Hi I am hoping for some advice on how best to help my elderly parents (late 70's). I have just recently discovered that they (mainly in my fathers name) have around £25k in credit card debt. They have been managing to make the payments (mostly minimum ones) using their savings! These savings are coming to an end and they will be unable to make the minimum payments on all of them soon. My Father is a proud man and it has taken a lot for him to confide in me as he is devastated and embarrassed that he has allowed things to become so bad. Financially neither my sisters and I can help but would like to help try take away his burden. All his debt are with the original providers, are all credit cards and he has never missed a payment ever. What would be our best way forward? We were thinking of writing to each credit card company and explaining the situation and setting up a standing order of a nominal amount that they can afford? Thanks in advance

Hi DX Sorry, me again! I have had another demand from Cabot (nice touch for Christmas), asking for a ridiculous amount of 'arrears'. They have still not made any mention of my CCA request (I'm presuming their answer would be they never received the second request?). I didn't send it recorded but have proof of posting, should I write back referring them to my request? They sent back the first request and postal order saying they couldn't trace the account.

Thank you for your help.

Oh OK thank you. They won't come knocking at my door will they?

Hi DX I sent the CCA request as you advised Cabot replied really quickly stating they couldn't find my account using the reference number I supplied (I took it from their original letter). I re submitted the request with a photocopy of their original letter and suggested that they were using delaying tactics as they didn't have the appropriate paperwork. 12 working days have passed (plus I allowed 3 days for the post!) and I've heard nothing. What do I do next? Interestingly when they wrote back to me it came from a different address but I have sent both my letters to the address on their original correspondence.