💡 What is the Debt Services Policy?
Google's Debt Services policy covers advertising for any business that helps people deal with money they owe — including debt consolidation, debt settlement, debt management plans, credit counselling, bankruptcy assistance, and debt collection services. These businesses must follow strict rules about authorisation, transparency, and how they present their services. Many require proof of regulatory registration before Google will approve ads at all. This checklist tells you exactly what to fix — in plain language.
0/5
✓
Find out whether your debt service business requires a regulatory licence to advertise on Google
Google requires proof of proper regulatory registration for many debt service categories. This includes debt management companies, credit counselling agencies, debt settlement firms, debt consolidation lenders, and IVA (Individual Voluntary Arrangement) providers. Without a valid licence, no amount of ad editing will get your ads approved — the first step is confirming whether you need one and whether you have it.
Critical
✓
Confirm you hold the correct regulatory authorisation for each country you advertise in
Debt service regulation varies by country. In the UK: debt management companies must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). In the US: debt relief companies must comply with the FTC Telemarketing Sales Rule and many states require state-level licences. In the EU: regulations vary by member state. Confirm you hold the right authorisation for every country in your targeting settings.
Critical
✓
Verify your licence or registration is currently active — not expired or suspended
An expired or suspended licence is treated the same as no licence at all by Google's reviewers. Log into your regulatory body's official register (e.g. the FCA Register at register.fca.org.uk, or your state's debt services regulator portal) and confirm your authorisation status is "Active." If it has lapsed, renew it before attempting any ads.
Critical
✓
Check that your specific type of debt service is covered by your licence — not just the business name
Being licensed as a credit broker does not automatically authorise you to offer debt management plans. Being registered as an insolvency practitioner does not automatically cover credit counselling. Read your authorisation document carefully and confirm it explicitly covers the exact service you intend to advertise.
Critical
✓
Confirm your debt service is not on Google's list of completely prohibited debt advertising
Certain debt-related services are completely banned from Google Ads with no exceptions. These include services that promise to eliminate debt without consequence, predatory debt collection practices that violate consumer protection laws, services that charge upfront fees before delivering any benefit (banned in many countries), and services that facilitate illegal or fraudulent debt arrangements. Verify your service does not fall into any prohibited category.
Critical
0/6
✓
Your landing page must load fully and without errors on both mobile and desktop
Test your exact landing page URL right now on a smartphone and on a desktop browser. A "404 Not Found" error, a blank page, a broken layout, or a slow-loading page will result in automatic ad disapproval. This is the first thing Google's automated systems check. Fix any technical issues before changing anything else.
Critical
✓
Display your regulatory licence or FCA/regulatory registration number prominently on your website
Your regulatory authorisation number must be visible on your website — at minimum in the footer of every page. Example: "XYZ Debt Solutions Ltd is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. FCA registration number: 789456." Include a clickable link to your entry on the official regulatory register so Google's reviewers can verify it in seconds.
Critical
✓
Display your business name, registered address, and contact details clearly on your website
Anonymous or hard-to-identify debt service businesses are automatically flagged during review. Your website must show your full registered company name, your registered business address, a working phone number, and an email address. This information must be easy to find — not buried deep in a terms page.
Critical
✓
Add a clear Privacy Policy that explains how you handle customer financial data
Debt service websites collect highly sensitive personal and financial information. A Privacy Policy is legally required and policy-mandatory. It must be linked in the footer of every page, and must explain: what data you collect, how you use it, who you share it with (e.g. credit reference agencies, partner lenders), and how customers can request corrections or deletion.
Critical
✓
Show full, clear information about fees — what you charge, when you charge it, and how much
Hiding fees or making them difficult to find is one of the most common reasons debt service ads are disapproved. Your website must clearly state all fees involved in your service: setup fees, monthly management fees, success fees, and any other charges. In the UK, the FCA explicitly requires fee transparency for debt management services. In the US, many states ban upfront fees entirely.
Critical
✓
Your landing page content must exactly match what the ad says — no bait and switch
If your ad mentions a specific debt solution, repayment plan, or service benefit, that exact thing must be clearly available on the landing page visitors arrive at. Sending people to a generic homepage or a different service than the one advertised is considered deceptive and will result in disapproval.
Important
0/6
✓
Remove all claims that promise to eliminate, wipe, or write off debt completely
Phrases like "Wipe out your debt legally!", "Have your debts written off!", "Debt gone in 60 days — guaranteed!", or "Write off 80% of your debt today!" are either misleading or outright false for most customers. Debt solutions do not work the same way for everyone — outcomes depend on individual circumstances. Remove all absolute promises about debt elimination and replace them with honest, qualified language.
Critical
✓
Do not use urgency or fear tactics that exploit financially distressed people
Ad copy like "Bailiffs at your door? Call NOW before it's too late!" or "Drowning in debt? This is your LAST CHANCE to escape!" exploits people in genuine financial distress. Google's policies specifically prohibit manipulative language that targets vulnerable audiences. Use calm, supportive, and informative language that genuinely helps people understand their options.
Critical
✓
Do not make "guaranteed" outcome claims in your ad text
Saying "Guaranteed debt reduction," "We guarantee to stop creditor calls," or "Guaranteed approval for all debt levels" is not permitted. Debt solutions are never guaranteed — outcomes depend on a person's individual financial situation, creditor cooperation, and legal processes. Use language like "may help reduce," "could support," or "designed to help" instead.
Critical
✓
Do not claim your service is "government-backed," "official," or endorsed by a regulatory body unless it genuinely is
Phrases like "Government-approved debt help," "Official UK debt scheme," or "FCA-endorsed debt solution" — when your service is not actually government-run or officially endorsed — are deceptive and can constitute fraud. Being FCA-regulated means you are authorised, not endorsed. Use the correct, accurate language.
Critical
✓
Include a balanced view — mention that debt solutions can have consequences on credit scores or legal standing
If your ad or landing page only describes the benefits of your debt solution without mentioning any potential downsides, Google may flag it as one-sided and misleading. Acknowledge that certain debt solutions (like IVAs, debt management plans, or debt settlement) can negatively affect credit scores, may not suit everyone, and involve legal obligations. Balance is a key requirement in this category.
Important
✓
Make sure the price or fee mentioned in your ad matches what is actually on your website
If your ad says "From just £25/month" but your website shows a different amount — or hides fees that make the real cost much higher — that is a misleading pricing violation. The fee shown in your ad must be what a typical customer actually pays from day one, with no hidden extras added later.
Important
0/5
✓
Clearly explain on your website what your service actually does, step by step
Vague descriptions like "We solve your debt problems" are not sufficient. Your website must explain the process: how you assess someone's situation, what options you provide, how long the process takes, what the customer is required to do, and what outcomes are possible. Clear, honest process descriptions are a core transparency requirement for debt service advertisers.
Critical
✓
Display a clear explanation of the potential negative consequences of your service
Google requires that debt service advertisers present a balanced view of their service. Your website must clearly state potential downsides such as: impact on credit score, legal implications (e.g. for IVAs or bankruptcy), impact on ability to get future credit, and that your service may not be suitable for everyone. This does not need to be prominent, but it must be genuinely easy to find.
Critical
✓
If you charge fees, disclose clearly whether fees are charged upfront or only after results are delivered
Many countries and US states have laws that prohibit charging debt relief fees before a service is delivered. Your website must be completely transparent about when fees are charged: before, during, or after the service. If you charge upfront fees in a jurisdiction where this is restricted or banned, you may need to change your fee structure before you can legally advertise.
Critical
✓
Add a link to independent, free debt advice resources on your website
Google and several regulators encourage (and some require) that commercial debt service websites signpost customers to independent, free debt advice. In the UK: link to the Money Advice Service (moneyhelper.org.uk) or StepChange. In the US: link to the NFCC (nfcc.org) or the FTC's debt relief resources. This demonstrates you are acting in the customer's genuine interest, not just selling a service.
Important
✓
Ensure your Terms and Conditions are complete, current, and easy to find on your website
Your Terms and Conditions must cover: the full scope of your service, all fees and payment terms, cancellation rights, what happens if the customer cannot keep up with their arrangement, and complaint procedures. Link your T&Cs prominently on the landing page — not just in the footer — and make sure they are written in plain, readable language, not dense legal jargon.
Important
0/5
✓
Debt Management Plans (DMPs): ensure your service is provided by an FCA-authorised firm or equivalent
A Debt Management Plan is a formal repayment arrangement negotiated with creditors on a customer's behalf. In the UK, firms providing DMPs must be FCA-authorised specifically for "debt adjusting" and "debt counselling" activities. Having a general financial services licence is not sufficient. Check your FCA permission register to confirm you hold these specific permissions.
Critical
✓
Debt Settlement: do not promise a specific percentage of debt reduction you cannot guarantee
Debt settlement involves negotiating with creditors to accept less than the full amount owed. Promising "We will reduce your debt by 50%" or "Creditors will accept 30 cents on the dollar" is misleading because the outcome depends entirely on each individual creditor's response. Only describe what the service offers and how it works — not specific outcomes you cannot control or guarantee.
Critical
✓
IVA / Insolvency Services: confirm the insolvency practitioner acting on your behalf is properly licensed
Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) in the UK must be administered by a licensed Insolvency Practitioner (IP). Your website must clearly identify the licensed IP who will manage the IVA, and their licence details must be verifiable via the Insolvency Service's register. Advertising IVA services without a licensed IP is illegal and will result in immediate ad disapproval.
Critical
✓
Credit Counselling: ensure your service is not-for-profit or properly licenced if operating commercially
Credit counselling services that operate as commercial businesses have different regulatory requirements than non-profit agencies. If you operate commercially, you must hold the appropriate consumer credit authorisation. If you operate as a charity or non-profit, ensure your registered charity or non-profit status is clearly displayed on your website.
Important
✓
Debt Consolidation Loans: confirm you are authorised to offer credit and display the full APR
If your "debt consolidation" service is actually a loan product, it is regulated as consumer credit — not just as a debt service. You must be authorised to offer consumer credit, display the full Annual Percentage Rate (APR), show a representative example, and comply with consumer credit advertising rules in every country you target.
Critical
0/4
✓
Exclude minors — debt services must not be shown to anyone under 18
In your Google Ads campaign, go to Audiences → Demographics → Age. Exclude the under-18 age group. Also consider excluding the "Unknown" age segment, as this can include underage users who have not provided age data to Google. Advertising debt services to minors is both a policy violation and potentially illegal in most countries.
Critical
✓
Only target geographic locations where you are licensed and where Google permits debt service advertising
In your campaign's Location settings, only include countries and regions where you hold the required authorisation to offer debt services and where Google allows this category of advertising. Targeting a country where your service is unlicensed or where Google restricts debt advertising is a violation regardless of how well your ad is written.
Critical
✓
Do not use remarketing to target users based on their demonstrated financial distress
Building remarketing audiences from visits to pages about debt problems, bankruptcy, or financial hardship — and then serving targeted debt relief ads to those people — is considered exploitative targeting. Google prohibits using audience data that implies or relates to a person's difficult financial circumstances to serve manipulative advertising. Use broad keyword targeting or general demographic targeting instead.
Critical
✓
Review your keyword list and remove any that may attract people in crisis in a harmful way
Keywords like "can't pay rent," "about to be evicted," "bailiff coming tomorrow," or "emergency debt help" attract people in acute financial crisis. While your service may genuinely help them, using these keywords in a way that leads to manipulative or pressure-based ads can be flagged. Pair distress-signal keywords only with genuinely supportive, informative ad copy and landing pages.
Important
0/5
✓
Confirm your Final URL and Display URL are on the same domain and go to the correct specific page
In Google Ads, the "Final URL" (where people actually go when they click) and the "Display URL" (shown in the ad) must be on the same website. For debt service ads, the Final URL must go directly to the specific service or product the ad describes — not to your homepage. Check this for every ad in your account.
Critical
✓
Upload your regulatory authorisation certificate to Google Ads Policy Manager if required
For debt services that require Google to verify your regulatory status before approving ads, you must upload your documentation directly in Google Ads. Go to: Tools & Settings → Policy Manager → Certifications, and upload your current regulatory licence, FCA authorisation letter, or equivalent documentation. Without this, your ads will be held or disapproved even after all other issues are fixed.
Critical
✓
Review all ad extensions — sitelinks, callouts, and structured snippets — for accuracy
Ad extensions add extra text or links beneath your main ad. Every sitelink must go to a real, working, relevant page. Every callout must be factually accurate. A misleading or broken extension — even if your main ad headline is correct — can trigger a disapproval for the entire ad. Go through every extension in your account and update or remove any that are inaccurate.
Important
✓
Audit every campaign in your account — not just the disapproved one
If one ad was disapproved for a Debt Services policy violation, other ads in your account almost certainly have similar issues. Before submitting any appeal, audit every active and paused campaign, ad group, and individual ad. Fix all violations across the whole account. A partially clean account significantly reduces the chance of a successful appeal.
Important
✓
Verify your Google Ads billing is up to date and your account has no outstanding payment issues
An account with overdue invoices, failed payment attempts, or previous billing issues can have appeal requests deprioritised. Log into your Google Ads Billing settings and confirm your payment method is valid, all invoices are paid, and no billing warnings are showing. Resolve any billing issues before submitting a policy appeal.
Recommended
0/4
✓
Go through every item in this checklist and confirm it is genuinely fixed — not just partially addressed
Debt services policy appeals are reviewed manually by Google's specialist team. You typically get a very limited number of appeal attempts. If you submit before everything is fixed and you are rejected again, subsequent appeals become significantly harder and may trigger an account-level review. Do not submit until you have worked through every single item on this checklist.
Critical
✓
Write a detailed, specific, and professional appeal message listing every change you made
In Google Ads: find the disapproved ad or account notice → click "Appeal" or "Request Review" → in your message, list every single specific change you made: the exact ad copy you rewrote, the disclaimers you added to your website, the fee disclosures you updated, the certifications you uploaded, the age targeting you applied, and so on. Vague appeals saying "we've fixed everything" are almost always rejected in this category — be specific and professional.
Critical
✓
Attach supporting documentation — your regulatory licence, company registration, and any relevant certifications
Appeals that include documentary evidence have a significantly higher approval rate in regulated advertising categories. Attach your FCA authorisation letter, your company registration certificate, your insolvency practitioner licence (if applicable), and any other regulatory documentation that confirms your right to offer debt services in the countries you target. Name each document clearly.
Important
✓
If your appeal is still rejected after all fixes, engage a Google Ads debt services policy specialist
Debt services is one of the most tightly regulated advertising categories on Google. If you have genuinely fixed every issue and are still being rejected, do not keep guessing — contact Google Ads Support directly and request a written explanation of what is still failing. Then engage a specialist who deals with this category regularly rather than experimenting further on your own and risking account suspension.
Recommended