Debt Relief Order (DRO) Checker UK 2026 — Eligibility, Costs & Credit Impact
A Debt Relief Order (DRO) is a form of insolvency for people with low debt, low assets, and low income. If eligible, it provides a 12-month moratorium on debt recovery — and after 12 months, the qualifying debts are written off entirely. It costs just £90 and is a powerful alternative to bankruptcy for people with limited means.
DRO 2025 thresholds: total debts ≤£30,000; total assets ≤£2,000 (vehicle ≤£1,000 excluded); monthly surplus income ≤£75. Cost: £90. 12-month moratorium then debts discharged. Apply through approved intermediary (Citizens Advice, StepChange). Scotland: Minimal Asset Process (MAP) instead.
DRO vs Other Debt Solutions
| DRO | IVA | Bankruptcy | DMP | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Debt limit | £30,000 | No limit | No limit | No limit |
| Asset limit | £2,000 | Varies | None | None |
| Monthly surplus | ≤£75 | Typically £100+ | Any | Any affordable amount |
| Cost | £90 | £680 | Free (debt charities) | |
| Duration | 12 months | 5–6 years | 12 months | Until debts cleared |
| Credit impact | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years | 6 years (defaults) |
| Debts written off? | Yes (after 12 months) | Remaining balance | Yes (after discharge) | No |
DRO in Scotland — The Minimal Asset Process (MAP)
Scotland does not have a Debt Relief Order. The equivalent is the Minimal Asset Process (MAP), administered by the Accountant in Bankruptcy. The MAP thresholds are similar (debts under £25,000; assets under £2,000; monthly income below a set level). Apply through a money adviser. The MAP is a form of sequestration (Scottish bankruptcy) that is discharged after 6 months.
How to Apply for a Debt Relief Order
You cannot apply for a DRO directly — the application must be made on your behalf by an authorised debt adviser, known as an "approved intermediary." These are typically found at debt charities such as StepChange, National Debtline, Citizens Advice, or PayPlan, all of whom offer this service free of charge. The adviser will assess your full financial situation, confirm you meet the eligibility criteria, and submit the application electronically to the Insolvency Service. You'll need to provide details of every debt, all income and outgoings, and any assets you own, so gathering bank statements, payslips, and recent creditor letters before your appointment speeds the process up considerably. Once submitted and approved, the £90 application fee is paid in a single instalment — there's no facility to pay this in parts, so many advisers help clients budget for it over a few weeks before applying.
What Happens When Your DRO Ends
Assuming your circumstances haven't changed enough to trigger a revocation, your DRO runs for exactly 12 months from the date it was approved. At the end of that period, every debt included in the order is automatically written off in full — you owe nothing further to those creditors, and they have no right to chase you for the difference. The DRO itself remains on your credit file for six years from the date it was originally approved (not from when it ends), which will affect your ability to get credit, a mortgage, or in some cases certain types of insurance during that period. It's also recorded on the public Individual Insolvency Register for 15 months from approval, after which your details are removed from public view even though the six-year credit file entry continues.
Frequently Asked Questions
To qualify for a DRO in England, Wales, or Northern Ireland: your total qualifying debts must be £30,000 or less; your total assets must be £2,000 or less (one vehicle worth up to £1,000 is excluded from this limit); your monthly surplus income — what's left after reasonable living expenses — must be £75 or less; you must not have had a DRO in the previous six years; and you must currently live in, or have carried on a business in, England, Wales, or Northern Ireland within the last three years.
Once a DRO is approved, a 12-month moratorium begins immediately. During this period, creditors named in the order cannot take any enforcement action against you — no court proceedings, no bailiffs, no demands for payment. If your circumstances remain broadly the same throughout, your debts are written off in full at the end of the 12 months. If your circumstances improve significantly during the moratorium, the DRO can be revoked.
You can't apply to the Insolvency Service directly — applications must go through an approved intermediary, a debt adviser specifically authorised to submit DRO applications. Citizens Advice, StepChange, National Debtline, and several other debt charities all offer this service free of charge. The intermediary checks your eligibility and submits the £90 application on your behalf.
A DRO does not cover student loans, criminal or magistrates' court fines, child maintenance arrears, debts arising from fraud, or certain social fund loans — these survive the DRO and remain payable. Secured debts such as mortgages are also excluded from being written off, though the 12-month moratorium does prevent enforcement action on them while it's in force.
Yes, but not within six years of a previous DRO ending. If you've had a DRO before and it was successfully completed more than six years ago, you can apply again if you meet the current eligibility criteria. There's no limit on the total number of DROs you can have over your lifetime, provided each one is at least six years apart.
You are legally required to report any significant changes in your circumstances (increase in income, inheriting money or property, receiving a windfall) to the Official Receiver. If your circumstances improve significantly (surplus income rises above £75/month or assets exceed £2,000), the DRO may be revoked and your creditors can pursue you again. This is rare in practice but the obligation to report is important.