Debt Relief Order Eligibility Checker
Answer eight short questions to see how your debts, income, assets and housing compare with the main DRO criteria for England and Wales. Nothing you enter leaves your device.
What this checker is, and is not
This is an educational tool that compares your answers with the published DRO criteria. It is not an official eligibility assessment and it does not provide regulated debt advice. Only an approved debt adviser can assess your eligibility and submit an application. They may also reach different figures from yours once they apply the official budgeting rules.
Your answers are processed in your browser only. They are not saved, sent to us or shared with anyone, and they are cleared when you leave the page or press “Start again”. See our privacy policy.
How the checker works
The tool compares each answer with the main criteria published by the Insolvency Service. These are qualifying debts below £50,000, spare income below £75 a month, relevant assets below £2,000 and one vehicle below £4,000. You must also have no interest in property, a connection to England or Wales within the last three years, no DRO in the last six years, and no current bankruptcy or IVA. Where an answer is close to a limit, or depends on detail only an adviser can judge, the tool flags it for closer review rather than guessing.
It cannot see your full budget, value your belongings, check how your debts are made up, or look back at payments you made in the last two years. An adviser must do all of that. So the result is a preliminary indication and never a decision.
What the results mean
| Outcome | What it means | Suggested next step |
|---|---|---|
| May meet some of the main criteria | None of your answers conflicted with a published limit. | Ask an approved adviser for a full assessment and a comparison of your other options. |
| Needs further review | One or more answers are close to a limit, or depend on detail the tool cannot assess. | Gather your figures and ask an adviser to check the flagged points. |
| May affect eligibility | At least one answer appears to fall outside the criteria. | An adviser can confirm the position and explain alternatives such as bankruptcy, an IVA or a debt management plan. |
Before you speak to an adviser
You will get more from your first appointment if your paperwork is together. Our preparation checklist lists what to gather, and the application guide explains what happens next. If you are unsure which debts count, read qualifying debts first.
Sources for the criteria used
- GOV.UK / Insolvency Service, How to get a Debt Relief Order (DRO), updated 28 June 2024
- GOV.UK, Options for dealing with your debts: Debt Relief Orders
- National Debtline, Debt relief orders fact sheet (England and Wales)