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i England, Wales and Northern Ireland

After bankruptcy

Discharge from bankruptcy

Bankruptcy usually lasts for 12 months. You are automatically 'discharged' at the end.

You are not responsible for the debts in your bankruptcy after it ends.

Some debts are not discharged in bankruptcy and will not be written off. Such as:


  • Criminal fines
  • Child maintenance arrears
  • TV Licence non-payment

You need to keep paying these.

The court can stop you from being discharged if you do not cooperate with the official receiver (OR). You stay bankrupt until you cooperate with them.

You are not cooperating if:


  • You do not give them the information they need
  • You try to hide assets

In England or Wales


  • You do not get formal proof of being discharged
  • You can ask the OR for a 'certificate of discharge'
  • There may be a fee for this

If you went bankrupt before April 2016:


  • You can get a 'certificate of discharge' from the court that approved your bankruptcy
  • There is a £70 fee

In Northern Ireland

Your bankruptcy is registered at the Registry of Deeds in Belfast.

You can leave the register by:


  • Completing 'Form 13'
  • Lodging it with the Registry of Deeds
  • Paying the £8 fee
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Worried about bankruptcy?

Free, online debt advice available now.

Get debt help

Effects of bankruptcy after discharge

There are restrictions on you while you are bankrupt.

You cannot:


  • Borrow more than £500 from a lender without telling them you are bankrupt
  • Be a company director
  • Buy a council house using the ‘right to buy’ scheme
  • Change the name of your business if you are self-employed

Some effects of bankruptcy can continue after you are discharged.

In England or Wales


  • Your bankruptcy stays on the Insolvency Register for three months after the discharge
  • Bankruptcy stays on your credit file for six years from when you become bankrupt
  • It is hard to get credit after bankruptcy

Details of your bankruptcy are also published in The Gazette.


  • This is an official ‘newspaper of record’ that lists official notices
  • This information is available for free on the Gazette website
  • The details appear in Google search results for your name

In Northern Ireland


  • Your details stay on the Bankruptcy Register for three months after your discharge
  • Bankruptcy stays on your credit file for six years from when you become bankrupt
  • It is hard to get credit after bankruptcy
  • Details of bankruptcies are published every Friday in the Belfast Telegraph

Bankruptcy restrictions

The OR can extend your restrictions if your bankruptcy was caused by dishonest or reckless behaviour.

They use a bankruptcy restriction undertaking (BRU) or order (BRO) to do this.

This lasts for 2 to 15 years, and stays on your credit file for this period.

This means if you get a BRU or BRO, your bankruptcy could affect your credit file for longer than the usual six years.

Will I have to make payments after my bankruptcy?

You may have to make payments after your bankruptcy.


  • The OR checks if you have any money left over after essential household costs
  • They set up payments through an income payment arrangement (IPA)
  • These start before you are discharged and last for three years

Can my home still be sold after bankruptcy?

The OR may want to sell your house if there is equity in it. They have three years to do this.

The OR may let you keep your home if there is still no equity after 2 years and 3 months.

Advice after bankruptcy

Use our online debt advice tool to find out what options are best for you.