Common Financial Tool

The CFS is a budgeting tool that can be used by advice agencies and other third party organisations to make debt repayment offers to creditors on behalf of clients. It provides a detailed budgeting format enabling an accurate overview of a client's income, expenditure, assets and liabilities to be produced.

The CFS is not intended for general public use, as it must be administered by a third-party organisation. Individuals seeking assistance with budgeting or financial concerns should speak to a money adviser.

For agencies in England and Wales, the Standard Financial Statement (SFS) operated by the Money and Pensions Service, has replaced the CFS and you should therefore apply for a licence to use the SFS rather than the CFS.

The CFS:

• features a detailed budgeting format to assist with the preparation of repayment offers that are designed to be realistic, sustainable and stand the test of time
• is underpinned by a commitment from supporting creditors to accept offers made using this budgeting format providing the underlying principle is met. The CFS principle is that offers are made by independent money advisers, based on expenditure within trigger figures following guidelines
• encompasses a partnership approach to dealing with over-indebtedness
• improves communication and transparency between creditors and third-party organisations negotiating on behalf of clients
• is recognised within a range of formal schemes and codes of practice

There are trigger figures for telephone, travel, housekeeping and other costs. Fixed expenditure categories such as rent and mortgage payments do not have a trigger figure. This is because what people spend on these items varies widely from household to household.

Further information regarding expenditure and trigger figures can be found in the Notes for Guidance - Common Financial Tool. 

The trigger figures are reviewed annually and published in April. Interim changes to the figures may be made if there is a significant increase within any expenditure category. 

The current version of the CFS trigger figures was published on 1 April 2025, following revision of the figures.

To obtain the current trigger figures, visit the CFT.

You need to be authorised to access the CFS trigger figures on the Common Financial Tool. 

BASYS users

Money advisers with BASYS access can log in to the CFT using their BASYS log in details. 

Non-BASYS users

Money advisers without access to BASYS can register for access to the CFT by selecting register on the log in screen.