How to Find Free, Approved Debt Advice for a DRO

Why you need an approved intermediary

You cannot apply for a Debt Relief Order yourself. The rules require an approved intermediary to prepare and submit the online application to the Insolvency Service, where the Official Receiver makes the decision. An approved intermediary is a debt adviser authorised to check eligibility and complete the form.

The reason is practical. A DRO rests on precise limits: less than £50,000 of qualifying debts, less than £75 a month spare income, less than £2,000 of assets and no interest in property. The adviser checks these figures, looks at the last two years for payments or transfers that could cause problems, and confirms that a DRO suits you better than the alternatives. Our guide to how to apply for a DRO describes what happens next.

Where to get free DRO advice in England and Wales

Each organisation below gives free advice and has approved intermediaries who can apply on your behalf. None is linked to this website.

Citizens Advice

Local offices across England and Wales, plus national phone and online services. Many offices offer face-to-face debt appointments. See Citizens Advice debt and money.

StepChange

A national debt charity that advises by phone and online, with a full online budget tool. See StepChange.

National Debtline

A national helpline and web service run by the Money Advice Trust, with detailed fact sheets on DROs. See National Debtline.

Business Debtline

The Money Advice Trust's service for self-employed people and small business owners. Sole traders can include business debts in a DRO. See Business Debtline.

Local council-funded advice agencies

Many councils fund independent advice centres, law centres or housing advice services with approved intermediaries. They are often the best choice if you also have a housing or benefits problem.

MoneyHelper debt advice locator

If you are unsure which to choose, the MoneyHelper debt advice locator lists free providers by area and by how they work.

What happens at the first appointment

The first full debt advice session follows a standard pattern, whether it takes place in an office, by phone or online.

1. A full budget

   The adviser builds a budget using the Standard Financial Statement, the format used across the UK debt advice sector. It records all household income and every reasonable outgoing. The figure left over decides whether you pass the £75 test.

2. A complete list of debts

   Every debt is recorded with its creditor, reference and balance. The adviser separates qualifying debts from excluded debts such as court fines, child maintenance and student loans, which must still be paid.

3. All options considered

   An approved adviser must consider every solution, not just a DRO. You may hear about bankruptcy, an IVA, a debt management plan or Breathing Space. The adviser explains the trade-offs and recommends what fits.

4. Next steps agreed

   If a DRO looks right, the adviser tells you what evidence they still need and whether anything should be sorted out first, such as a bank account linked to a debt.

What to bring to your appointment

You will get more from the session if you have the following to hand. The adviser will help you fill any gaps.

• Proof of identity and your current address.
• Payslips, benefit award letters or Universal Credit statements for the last few months.
• Recent bank statements for every account you hold.
• Your tenancy agreement or latest rent statement, and your council tax bill.
• Letters and statements from every creditor, including default notices, court papers and bailiff letters.
• Details of any vehicle you own, including its registration and a rough idea of its value.

Our DRO application checklist goes through each item in more detail and explains how to track down debts you may have forgotten.

How to spot firms that charge for a DRO

Searching online for DRO help often brings up companies that advertise "debt relief" and ask for your details before saying who they are. Some are lead generators that sell your information on. Others add charges to the same free application, or steer you towards a more profitable product such as an IVA.

If you have already given details to a firm like this, you can still go to a free provider instead. You are not tied in. Our DRO costs page explains why there is nothing to pay.

What FCA authorisation means for debt advice

Giving debt advice is a regulated activity in the UK, so anyone offering it must be authorised by the Financial Conduct Authority or be exempt. The free charities named above hold FCA authorisation for debt counselling. Local advice agencies usually operate under their own authorisation or a group licence.

Authorisation on its own does not make a firm free, because fee-charging debt managers can be authorised too. The questions that matter are whether the organisation charges you anything and whether it has an approved intermediary. You can check a firm on the FCA register, and you can ask any adviser directly.

If you need help today

A DRO takes time to prepare and only protects you once the Official Receiver approves it. If something urgent is about to happen, say so when you first contact an adviser and ask for an emergency appointment.

Bailiffs due to visit

Do not let enforcement agents in. Ask the adviser about Breathing Space, which gives 60 days of protection from most creditor action while you get advice.

Eviction or possession proceedings

Rent arrears can be included in a DRO, but the adviser may need to deal with the housing problem first. Bring every court letter.

Gas, electricity or water disconnection

An adviser can help you negotiate with the supplier and check whether you qualify for hardship support.

Priority debts are the ones where falling behind has serious consequences: rent, council tax, energy, court fines and child maintenance. An adviser looks at these first. If you already have a DRO and something has changed, read what happens if your circumstances change.