Debt help in England
The debt solutions that actually apply in England, the free advice available locally, and how the law differs from the rest of the UK.
You never have to pay for debt advice. MoneyHelper (government-backed), StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free, confidential advice with no obligation. We would rather you got good advice somewhere than bad advice from anyone.
Debt solutions available in England
- IVA
- Debt Relief Order
- Bankruptcy
- Breathing Space
- Debt Management Plan
The Insolvency Service publishes monthly statistics for England and Wales together. In June 2026 there were 11,871 individual insolvencies across the two nations, made up of 674 bankruptcies, 3,879 Debt Relief Orders and 7,318 IVAs.
Free debt advice in England
You never have to pay for debt advice. MoneyHelper (government-backed), StepChange, National Debtline and Citizens Advice all give free, confidential advice with no obligation. We would rather you got good advice somewhere than bad advice from anyone.
How this differs from the rest of the UK
England and Wales share a single insolvency framework under the Insolvency Act 1986. IVAs, Debt Relief Orders, bankruptcy and Breathing Space all apply, administered by the Insolvency Service, with formal insolvencies recorded on the public Individual Insolvency Register.
| IVA | DMP | DRO | Bankruptcy | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Formal insolvency | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Where it applies | England, Wales and Northern Ireland | The whole of the UK | England and Wales (Northern Ireland has its own version with different thresholds) | England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland calls it sequestration) |
| Typical duration | 60 months, or 72 with home equity | Until the debt is repaid — no fixed end | 12 months | Discharged in 12 months; payments up to 3 years |
| Monthly payments | Monthly, affordability-based | Monthly, flexible, changeable | No payments at all | Only if you have surplus income |
| Your home | Excluded; equity sets the term | Not affected | Not available to homeowners | May be sold |
| Credit file impact | 6 years from the start date | Defaults recorded, 6 years each | 6 years from the order date | 6 years from the order |
| Public register | Listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register, which anyone can search. Your address can be withheld only on evidenced safety grounds. | Nothing public. A DMP is a private arrangement. | Listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register. | Listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register, and in some cases advertised more widely. |
| Fees | Paid from your monthly payments | Free providers available | Free — no application fee | £680 application fee |
| Creditor protection | Legally binding on included creditors | None — entirely voluntary | Full protection, then write-off | Full protection, then discharge |
Local debt help by area
Not sure which of these applies to you?
Answer eight questions about your circumstances and see which routes are worth understanding, before you speak to anyone.
Related guides
We are a marketing introducer. We publish information and, if you ask us to, we pass your details to an FCA-authorised debt advice firm we work with so they can contact you. We do not give debt advice, we do not provide debt solutions, and we do not decide whether any solution is right for you. We are paid by the firms we introduce people to, never by you. Read exactly how we make money.