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DROs are available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

A debt relief order (DRO) is a way to have your debts written off if you have a relatively low level of debt and have few assets. If you qualify, our specialist DRO team can apply to the Insolvency Service for you. Debt relief orders are not available if you live in Scotland.

A DRO freezes your debt repayments and interest for 12 months. If your financial situation hasn’t changed at the end of this period then all of the debts included will be written off. As we're an approved organisation, we can help you apply for a DRO if you're eligible.

A DRO will appear on a public register and will affect your credit report negatively.

Benefits of a DRO

  • A debt relief order can be a low-cost alternative to bankruptcy
  • You don’t pay anything towards your debts for 12 months. After that they'll be written off
  • Your creditors can't pursue you for your debts during the 12 month period
  • Although a DRO is a formal debt solution, you don't need to appear in court

Risks of a DRO

  • A DRO is only available if you owe less than £30,000 (£20,000 in Northern Ireland) and live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland
  • You'll need to pay the Insolvency Service a one-off, non-refundable fee of £90. If you qualify, our specialist team can help you apply
  • You can't apply if you're a homeowner
  • A DRO will appear on a public register and will affect your credit report negatively

Debt relief orders aren't available if you live in Scotland. In Scotland, a Minimal Assets Process (MAP) bankruptcy is a similar solution, but has different benefits, risks and fees associated with it.

How to apply for a DRO

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The first step is to see if you qualify for a DRO, and if it’s your best option. Use our free online advice tool or call us and speak to one of our expert advisors.

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If a DRO is the best solution to your debt problem, we'll send you the necessary forms and help you apply. You'll need to complete these forms and return them to our specialist DRO team.

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Our DRO team will then prepare your application. Before they submit this there's a £90 fee that must be paid to the Insolvency Service in full or, if you live in England or Wales you can pay in instalments.

Once the fee has been paid, we can submit your application.

How long does a debt relief order take to process?

Once you’ve provided all of the relevant information to the DRO approved intermediary, and paid your £90 fee, your intermediary will submit your DRO application to the Insolvency Service. They’ll make a decision on your application within 10 working days. Find out more about getting a debt relief order.

Which debts are covered in a debt relief order?

Most debts are included in a DRO. This includes household utility bills, council tax and consumer debt like credit and store cards. Some debts are called ‘excluded debts’. This means they’re not included in your DRO. The most common excluded debts are:

  • Criminal fines
  • Child maintenance
  • TV licence arrears
  • Loans from the DWP Social Fund, such as budgeting loans
  • Debts that have been taken out fraudulently, including benefit overpayments that have occurred as a result of fraud

Find out more about what happens on a debt relief order.

Common DRO questions

You should always get free and impartial advice before going ahead with a debt solution. To find out which option is best for your circumstances, we’ll ask you a series of questions during a debt advice session, including:

  • How much money you owe and who do you owe money to
  • What types of debts you have
  • How much you can pay towards your debts
  • Whether your circumstances could improve in the future
Ready to find out if a debt relief order is right for you?

DROs are specifically designed for people who have a smaller amount of debts and a lower income, and can be a cheaper alternative to bankruptcy. To apply for a DRO, you must:

  • live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland
  • owe less than £30,0000 (£20,000 in Northern Ireland)
  • have less than £2,000 in assets (£1,000 in Northern Ireland) and a car worth no more than £2,000 (£1,000 in Northern Ireland)
  • have less than £75 in surplus income per month after paying your household bills and living costs (£50 in Northern Ireland)

Firstly, have a debt advice session online or over the phone. If we think a debt relief order is suitable for you, we’ll recommend it at the end of your advice session. You’ll then get a personal action plan with a step-by-step guide to apply for one.

Ready to get started?

Debt relief orders aren't available if you live in Scotland. In Scotland, a minimal assets process (MAP) bankruptcy is a similar solution. 

If you live in Scotland, read our debt advice in Scotland page for more information on the solutions available to you.

A debt relief order will stay on your credit file for six years from the date it's approved. This may make it difficult to take out credit during this time. 

A DRO freezes your debt repayments and interest for 12 months. If your financial situation hasn’t changed at the end of this period then all of the debts included will be written off.

A DRO costs £90, which is the amount charged by the Insolvency Service to process an application. You can't get any discounts or exemptions like you can with bankruptcy fees, so the full £90 needs to be paid before your application can be submitted. The fee can be paid in one lump sum or, if you live in England or Wales, in instalments over a six month period. Once your fee has been paid and your application is submitted, you can't get your money back, even if the DRO is rejected or revoked.

Our DRO guides

It's important you're fully informed about how debt relief orders work and how they can affect you before you go ahead with this solution. Our DRO guide section has practical advice about the whole process; from applying through to what happens after your DRO ends.