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Can other people find out I'm in debt?

If you’re in debt, you may be worried that other people will find out. This may include family, friends or people you work with.

Details of your debts are confidential between you and your creditors. They can’t discuss your situation with anyone else without your permission.

However, some information relating to court action or insolvency is public, and in theory it could be seen by anyone. It’s unlikely anyone you know would come across this sort of information by accident.

Is court action public information?

If you continue to miss payments towards a debt, your creditors could take court action to get you to repay it. The following court actions are public information:

  • England and Wales - County Court judgments (CCJs), administration orders, Child Support Agency (CSA) liability orders and some criminal fines
  • Scotland – decrees
  • Northern Ireland – money judgments

Anyone can search your details on the public register by contacting Registry Trust online and paying a fee of £6.

The register will show your name and address and details of the court action taken, including the date and the amount owed at the point the action happened.


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Insolvency debt solutions and public information

In England, Wales or Scotland

If you deal with your debts by starting any of the following insolvency solutions, your details will appear on a public Insolvency Register if you live in England, Wales or Scotland. This can be searched for free by anyone:

  • Bankruptcy
  • Debt relief orders (DROs) 
  • Individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) 
  • Trust deeds in Scotland

Details of bankruptcy will also appear in The Gazette. This is a government publication which records official information. In Scotland, Bankruptcy Restriction Orders will also be published in the Register of Insolvencies.



In Northern Ireland

If you live in Northern Ireland and choose any of the following insolvency solutions, your details will be held on the public DRO Register which can be searched:

  • Debt relief orders
  • Debt relief restrictions undertakings and orders (DRRUs/DRROs)
  • Bankruptcy restriction undertakings and orders (BRUs/BROs)
  • IVAs

Details of people who've gone bankrupt will also be published in the Belfast Telegraph.

Who can see my credit file?

Most creditors share information about your debts with credit reference agencies. These records can be searched by other creditors, but they’re not visible to the general public.

Worried about debt?

If you’re struggling to pay your debts, we can help. Take two minutes to answer a few simple questions, so we can understand the best way to help you.

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