Issued by: The Insolvency Service

The Insolvency Service is encouraging anyone who paid for a debt relief order (DRO) but did not submit their application to get in touch for a refund.

• Thousands of people can claim money back after the £90 DRO application fee was scrapped

• The Insolvency Service has written to everyone affected, but some customer contact details may have changed since 2016

• Refunds totalling £450,000 are available for those who paid the fee but did not finish the DRO application process, going back ten years

People who paid for a debt relief order (DRO) but did not submit their application are being offered a refund by the Insolvency Service.

Around £450,000 is available in refunds – and the Government agency is encouraging customers to make their claim before the end of the year.

The Insolvency Service has written to affected customers several times since November 2025 with details of how to apply. It is hoping to return as much money as possible before the end of 2026.

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

"We want to reassure customers that this is a genuine refund and we want them to claim their money back if it is due.

"We’ve tried to contact customers directly, but as the refunds go back 10 years, we know some people’s contact details may have changed.

"People applying for a DRO may have been struggling financially – hence needing debt relief – so we’re really keen to return money owed to them as soon as possible."

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

The £90 application fee for a DRO was scrapped in 2024. Customers who paid that fee for a DRO between 2016 and April 2024 but did not complete their application are eligible for the fee to be refunded.

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

If you are owed a refund

If you think you are due a refund, please contact dro.preorder@insolvency.gov.uk

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

• Debt Relief Order application number (if known)

• Your name

• Your address

• Your telephone number

• Bank/building society Name

• Account name (as shown on bank statement)

• Bank account number (full 8 numbers)

• Bank sort code (full 6 numbers)

• Building Society roll number (if applicable)

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

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

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

If 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.

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

Further information

• Letters were sent to individuals due a refund in March, May, and November 2025 and again in January 2026. Some customer details will have changed since 2016, so we have been unable to directly contact everyone due a refund.

• Information about the refunds is available on the Insolvency Service website [https://tinyurl.com/42h4phrx], along with further information about DROs [https://tinyurl.com/zkahp556].

• You can check information on Insolvency Service-related scams and fraud [https://tinyurl.com/ecuwe5vf] online.

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

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