Insolvency costs and court fees

England and Wales

Debt Relief Orders

• A debt relief order (DRO) has no fee in England and Wales as of April 6th, 2024

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy costs £680. This includes:

• A £550 deposit and
• A £130 application fee

You can pay this:

• Online and
• In instalments

You cannot get the fee reduced.

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

There is no upfront fee for an IVA.

Part of your monthly payment goes towards:

• Covering the cost of your IVA and
• Your insolvency practitioner's fees

County Court Processes

• Applying to change the payments to your CCJ - £15
• Applying to stop a bailiff collecting a CCJ or High Court writ - £15
• Applying to change the payments to a possession order - £15
• A certificate of satisfaction after paying off a CCJ - £15
• Applying to set aside (cancel) a CCJ - £303

Find details of other court fees in England and Wales.

You may qualify to have your court fees reduced or cancelled if:

• You are on a low income
• Your income is from benefits only

You can apply for help with court fees online.

• You do not need proof of income when you apply
• The court may ask you for proof later

Considering insolvency?

Northern Ireland

Debt Relief Orders

A debt relief order (DRO) costs £90.

• You pay it to the Insolvency Service
• You cannot get a reduction

Bankruptcy

Bankruptcy costs £683. This includes:

• A £525 deposit,
• A £151 court fee and
• A £7 solicitor’s fee

Complete form ER1 if you have a low income.

• You may be able to get the fee waived
• You must pay the other costs

Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)

You do not pay an upfront fee for an IVA.

Part of your monthly payment goes towards paying for your IVA.

Court Processes

See the Department of Justice website for court process fees in Northern Ireland.

Your court fees may be reduced or cancelled if:

• You are on a low income
• Your only income is from benefits

To apply:   

• Read the guidance notes 'do I have to pay fees?'
• Fill in Form ER1 Application for exemption or remission of a fee (PDF)

You may need to show proof of income to qualify.

Scotland

Minimal Asset Process (MAP)

MAP is a way of writing off debt if you have low income and few assets.

• It costs £50
• You may not have to pay this depending on your financial situation

Bankruptcy

Scottish Bankruptcy is known as sequestration.

• It costs £150
• You may not have to pay this if you get certain benefits

Protected Trust Deed (PTD)

There is no upfront fee for a PTD.

Part of your monthly payment pays for your trust deed

Court Processes

See the Scottish Courts and Tribunals website for details of fees.

You may be able to have your court fees reduced or cancelled if:

• You are on a low income
• Your income is from benefits only

To apply:

• Fill in a fee exemption form
• You may need to provide proof of income

Common questions about court fees

What is a court filing fee?

You pay a court filing fee to begin some court cases. Including insolvency.

The court clerk can tell you what you need to pay.

What happens if you cannot pay court fees?

Apply to have court fees reduced or cancelled if you are on a low income.

In England and Wales

You can apply online.

Apply for help at Gov.UK.

In Scotland and Northern Ireland

Apply by completing a court form:

• Scotland court form
• Northern Ireland court form

Some organisations help people pay bankruptcy fees through ‘trust funds’.

Are court fees refundable?

Court fees are not refundable for:

• Insolvency and
• Debt solutions

Be sure you want to go ahead  when you pay the fee.

Get insolvency advice

Use our free online debt advice tool to find the right help for you.