Returning the forms promptly could mean you don't have to go to court. Also, if you are planning to have a heavily discounted product, allow some leeway in your calculations for when the discounted offer ends.
Some lenders allow those who are in regular employment to self-declare, and even advertise to this effect. In our UK consumer survey a large proportion of those who took out unsecure loans online did so to pay off consolidated debts. Careful thought needs to be given as to whether the term of the unsecure loans online is appropriate to the kind of borrowing being consolidated. Recently, one of the credit reference agencies has developed a Consumer Indebtedness Index to identify those borrowers who are currently servicing their debt but for whom a change in circumstances or further borrowing could present problems.
If you do nothing at all, you could be sent to prison. The charge is normally around 7.5% of the amount loansed and may be shown on your Offer as a Indemnity Charge or High Percentage Lending Fee. The lender will ask you to complete a credit application form and then you will be given a credit score based on your answers. They may also act as 'packagers' for smaller brokers with these same lenders. Stop beating yourself up about this. If you need help working out exactly what you spend, check out One Life's Budget Calculator.