Compare every UK debt solution
The same nine criteria applied to every option, so you can see what actually separates them. Filter to one solution to read it on its own, or leave it on all four to compare.
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England, Wales and Northern Ireland
| 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 |
Northern Ireland operates the same solution types under its own legislation, with different thresholds and fees. Check current criteria with the Insolvency Service of Northern Ireland.
Scotland
IVAs and Debt Relief Orders do not exist in Scotland. These are the actual options, and a Debt Arrangement Scheme has no English equivalent at all.
| Trust Deed | DAS | Bankruptcy | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Formal insolvency | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Where it applies | Scotland only | Scotland only | England, Wales and Northern Ireland (Scotland calls it sequestration) |
| Typical duration | Normally 4 years | Until repaid in full | Discharged in 12 months; payments up to 3 years |
| Monthly payments | Monthly, affordability-based | Monthly, until cleared | Only if you have surplus income |
| Your home | Equity usually assessed | Not affected | May be sold |
| Credit file impact | 6 years | Recorded for the duration | 6 years from the order |
| Public register | Recorded on the public Register of Insolvencies, maintained by the Accountant in Bankruptcy. | Recorded on the DAS Register, which is public. | Listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register, and in some cases advertised more widely. |
| Fees | Paid from contributions | Free; interest frozen by law | £680 application fee |
| Creditor protection | Binding once protected | Statutory protection | Full protection, then discharge |
See how these map onto your own situation
Eight questions, then a plain summary of what you have told us and which framework applies where you live. It is not an eligibility check — no website can do that honestly.