Debt Guides Hub

Debt & IVA guides

Clear, jargon-free articles to help you understand your options before you decide anything. Start with the most popular guides, or browse by topic below.

Most popular — start here

The guides people read most before getting in touch.

→How to Apply for an IVA →Do I Qualify for an IVA?→How Much Does an IVA Cost?→IVA Payments Explained: What You'll Pay Each Month →IVA and Council Tax Arrears →Does an IVA Cover Council Tax?→How to Choose an IVA Company →Is an IVA Worth It? Should You Do One?→Debt Consolidation vs IVA →IVA Pros and Cons →Will I Lose My House in an IVA?→What Happens if My IVA Fails?

IVA Basics & Cost

What an IVA is, what it costs, whether it's worth it and how to choose a provider.

→How Much Does an IVA Cost?How much does an IVA cost in the UK? Understand IVA fees, how they're paid from your monthly pa…→IVA Payments Explained: What You'll Pay Each MonthHow IVA monthly payments are worked out from your income and expenditure, what a typical paymen…→What Debts Can Be Included in an IVA?Which debts can and can't go into an IVA — credit cards, loans, overdrafts, council tax and mor…→IVA Pros and ConsA balanced look at the pros and cons of an IVA — from writing off unaffordable debt and freezin…→How Long Does an IVA Last?Most IVAs run for 5 to 6 years. Learn why the term varies, when it can be extended, and what ha…→What Happens When Your IVA Finishes?What to expect when your IVA completes — your completion certificate, debts written off, how yo…→How to Choose an IVA CompanyHow to choose an IVA company you can trust — the questions to ask, the fees to check, red flags…→Is an IVA Worth It? Should You Do One?Is an IVA worth it? An honest look at when an IVA is a good idea, when it isn't, and the altern…

Eligibility & Process

Whether an IVA fits your situation — qualifying, council tax, benefits and more.

→Do I Qualify for an IVA?Find out if you qualify for an IVA — the usual thresholds on debt levels, creditors and afforda…→IVA and Council Tax ArrearsCan council tax arrears go into an IVA? How council tax debt is treated, what happens to a liab…→Can You Get an IVA on Benefits?Whether you can start an IVA while on benefits, how affordability is assessed, and the alternat…→Can I Get an IVA as a Homeowner?How an IVA works if you own your home — whether you can keep your house, how equity is handled,…→Joint IVA for Couples: How It WorksHow couples can tackle shared debts with interlocking IVAs, when a joint arrangement makes sens…→Does an IVA Cover Council Tax?Does an IVA cover council tax arrears? How council tax debt is included in an IVA, what happens…→Can an IVA Stop Council Tax Bailiffs?Can an IVA stop council tax bailiffs and enforcement action? How an IVA affects bailiff visits …

Living During an IVA

Everyday questions about credit, bank accounts, cars and reviews while it runs.

→Can You Get Credit During an IVA?The rules on borrowing during an IVA, the £500 credit limit, why permission matters, and how yo…→Best Bank Accounts for an IVAWhy you may need a new bank account during an IVA, which basic accounts work, and how to switch…→Buying a Car During an IVACan you buy a car or get car finance during an IVA? The rules on borrowing over £500, replacing…→What Happens if I Can't Pay My IVA?If you can't afford your IVA payments, you have options — payment breaks, reduced payments and …→The IVA Annual Review ExplainedWhat happens at your IVA annual review, why your income and expenditure is reassessed each year…

Your Home & Assets

How an IVA treats your property, equity and any money that comes your way.

→Will I Lose My House in an IVA?An IVA is designed to help you keep your home. Learn how equity is handled, the year-5 remortga…→Equity Release in Year 5 of an IVAHow the year-5 equity release clause in an IVA works, when you'd remortgage, what happens if yo…→IVAs, Windfalls and InheritanceHow windfalls, inheritance, bonuses and PPI refunds are treated during an IVA, what you must de…

Failing, Exiting & Life After

What happens if things change, how an IVA ends, and rebuilding after.

→What Happens if My IVA Fails?Why an IVA can fail, what a failure notice means, the effect on your debts, and the options ope…→How to Exit an IVA EarlyThe ways to end an IVA early — settling with a lump sum, letting it fail, or a variation — and …→Rebuilding Your Credit Score After an IVAPractical steps to rebuild your credit score after an IVA — checking your file, the electoral r…→Can I Get a Mortgage After an IVA?Whether you can get a mortgage after an IVA, how long to wait, how lenders view a completed IVA…→Will My Employer Find Out About My IVA?Whether your employer is told about your IVA, the jobs where an IVA can matter, and how the pub…

Other Debt Solutions

Personal-insolvency alternatives to compare against an IVA.

→What is a Debt Management Plan (DMP)?How a Debt Management Plan works — one affordable monthly payment across your creditors, the pr…→What is a DRO and Who Qualifies?What a Debt Relief Order is, the debt, income and asset limits to qualify, how it clears your d…→Bankruptcy Explained: Process, Costs & EffectsA plain-English guide to bankruptcy in the UK — how to apply, the fees, what happens to your ho…→Debt Consolidation vs IVADebt consolidation or an IVA? Compare a consolidation loan with an IVA on cost, credit impact, …→Debt Help for the Self-EmployedDebt solutions for the self-employed — how an IVA can let you keep trading, dealing with tax an…→What is Insolvency? A Simple GuideWhat insolvency means in plain English, the difference between cash-flow and balance-sheet inso…

Wider Debt Help

Broader money worries. Useful background — though for serious unsecured debt an IVA may still be the answer, so start with the guides above.

→Struggling With Credit Card Debt: What to DoPractical help for credit card debt in the UK — from prioritising and negotiating to formal sol…→Payday Loan Debt HelpStruggling with payday loans? How to stop the spiral of rollovers, your options for dealing wit…→Dealing With Debt After Losing Your JobHow to deal with debt after losing your job — protecting priority bills, talking to creditors, …→Debt and Mental Health: Where to Get SupportDebt and mental health often go hand in hand. Where to find free support, how the Breathing Spa…→How to Deal With Debt Collectors (Your Rights)Know your rights when dealing with debt collectors — what they can and can't do, how to respond…

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