Although Mr Clinton and congressional leaders have reached agreement on a formula to pay off most of the arrears in stages (and may even get a bill to that effect through Congress), this in itself raises hackles.

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One way they are doing this is by offering not the usual service, where users talk and pay the balance of their accounts in arrears, but a prepaid, discounted package.

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For example, if I order you out within 28 days but that order is suspended, it is paralysed, as long as you keep to the current instalment and pay the arrears at the rate I am directing, of so much per month.

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The mortgage is a repayment mortgage and I have an endowment policy which at it's lowest prediction is set to pay off the mortgage (including the arrears) with a surplus (one of the few).

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She approached her local Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) after using some of her housing benefit to pay for gas and electricity and has now built up arrears.

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