扒哥吃瓜

• Thousands of听people are still due a refund for debt relief order applications they paid for but did not submit.听

• The Insolvency Service has written听to everyone听due a refund,听but some customer contact details听may听have changed.听

• Refunds听totalling听拢500,000 are available going back to 2016 for those who did not finish the application process.听

The Insolvency Service is trying to refund听拢500,000 to听customers听who听paid a fee for听a debt relief order (DRO) but did not听submit听their application.听听

Thousands听of people are听due a refund after the Government scrapped the听拢90 application听fee听for DROs听in April 2024 to make things easier for those struggling with debt.听听

A DRO is an alternative to bankruptcy, allowing people to make a fresh start if they have less than 拢50,000 of personal debt.听Applications听for DROs are made through authorised听debt advisers or charities.听

The agency is trying to refund听money to听individuals who paid towards听an听incomplete application going back to听2016听and听is encouraging customers听to听submit听their claims听before the end of听March 2026.听

Letters were sent to eligible customers in March,听May,听and November last year,听but much of the money听remains听unclaimed.听听

Caroline Shanahan, senior leader in the Personal Insolvency Team at the Insolvency Service, said:听听

We鈥檝e听tried to contact customers due a refund, but very few have come back to us. We know some听people听may have moved or changed their contact details since their application 鈥撎齱hich makes it tricky for us to contact them. But听they听can听still apply for a refund if they paid towards a听DRO application听that was not听submitted, they just need to get in touch and let us know.听

We鈥檙e hoping to get as many refunds processed as possible before the end of March 2026, so if you think you are owed a refund, please do get in touch.

Refunds are available as customers听may have paid the fee and started an application but then chosen not to听submit听it or听started the application but then听opted for a different debt solution.听

Up until April 2024, payments were made by the individual as part of the application process, either in full or in instalments.听Some听customers will be due a straight 拢90 refund for the fee, while others may be听owed more or less, depending听on whether they paid in full, or made multiple incomplete applications.听听

If you are owed a refund听

If you听think听you are due a refund after making a听DRO fee听payment but not听submitting听your听application, please contact听dro.preorder@insolvency.gov.uk听

To request payment into your bank account听or building society, please include the following details:听听

• Debt Relief Order听application听number (if known)听

• Your听name听

• Your听address听

• Your听telephone听number听

• Bank/building听society Name听

• Account听name (as shown on bank statement)听

• Bank听account听number (full 8 numbers)听

• Bank听sort听code (full 6 numbers)听

• Building Society听roll听number (if applicable)听

All applications will be fully verified against system information听to prevent fraudulent claims.听听

If you would like to request a cheque instead听of bank payment, please听state听this in your email.听

If your contact details have changed since making the application, please include your听previous听name and address alongside your current details.听听

If听the fee payment was made by a charity or third party on your behalf, please provide the details of the organisation that made the payment.听

You can also write to听the agency, including the above information in your correspondence, at:听The Insolvency Service DRO Team, C/O Met Office, Fitzroy Road, Exeter, EX1 3PB.听

Further information听

• Letters were sent to individuals听due a refund in March, May,听and November 2025.听Some customer details will have changed since 2016, so we听have听been unable to directly contact everyone due a refund.听听

• Information about the refunds is available on the听Insolvency Service website, along with听further information about DROs.听

• You can check听information on听听online.听

• Anyone with听questions can call the Insolvency Service customer service helpline听to request information on the refund process听on 0300 678听0015.听It is open听Monday to Thursday听from听9am to 5pm and听on听Fridays from听9am to 3pm.