Who Can See My IVA? Insolvency Register Explained

Who Can See My IVA? The Insolvency Register Explained

Your IVA is on the public Individual Insolvency Register while it runs, and on your credit file for six years. Most people you know won’t see it.

Last updated: November 2026

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Things to know about IVAs

An IVA is a formal insolvency procedure. It must be approved by your creditors, stays on your credit file for six years, fees are taken from your payments, and debts are only written off if you complete it. It isn’t right for everyone.

Read the key risks

Creditors must approve it. An IVA only goes ahead if creditors holding at least 75% of the debt that is voted agree. Your proposal can be rejected.
Credit file and public register. An IVA stays on your credit file for six years from the start date and is listed on the public Individual Insolvency Register while it runs. Getting credit will be harder.
Spending restrictions and annual reviews. You live on an agreed budget for the length of the IVA (usually 5–6 years). Your income and spending are reviewed each year, and your payment can go up.
Fees. Fees are taken from your monthly payments, so less of what you pay reaches your creditors. How IVA fees work.
Your home. Under the current IVA Protocol, your home isn’t included in the IVA and you won’t be asked to remortgage. If your share of the equity is £10,000 or more, the IVA usually lasts six years instead of five.
If it fails. If you can’t keep up payments the IVA may fail, you would owe the remaining debt again, and the supervisor may petition for your bankruptcy.
Write-off only on completion. Remaining qualifying unsecured debts are only written off if the IVA is completed successfully. Secured debts, court fines, child maintenance, student loans and some other debts can’t be included.
Other options may suit you better. A debt management plan, DRO or bankruptcy may be more suitable. IVAs are available in England, Wales and Northern Ireland only; different solutions apply in Scotland.

Privacy is a common worry when starting an IVA. An IVA isn’t secret, but it’s also not publicised in the way some people fear.

The short answer

IVAs are listed on the Individual Insolvency Register, which anyone can search online.
The entry is usually removed about three months after the IVA ends.
Your IVA appears on your credit file for six years from the start date.
IVAs are not usually advertised in newspapers or the London Gazette.
Your employer is only likely to find out if they run checks or your contract requires you to tell them.

What is the Individual Insolvency Register?

The Insolvency Service keeps a free online register of people in bankruptcy, DROs and IVAs in England and Wales. It shows your name, the type of procedure and its date. Anyone can search it, but most people never do. Northern Ireland has its own register.

Who is likely to see my IVA?

Lenders, through your credit file, when you apply for credit.
Letting agents and some landlords who run credit checks.
Employers in some roles that involve financial checks or vetting.
Anyone who specifically searches the insolvency register.

Will my employer find out?

Usually not, unless your job involves credit checks or your contract says you must declare it. Our guide on whether your employer will find out covers this in detail.

When does my IVA disappear?

The register entry is usually removed around three months after the IVA completes or ends. The record on your credit file stays for six years from the start date, even if the IVA finishes earlier. See an IVA and your credit rating.

Common questions

Is an IVA made public?

Yes, in that it’s listed on the public insolvency register while it runs. Unlike bankruptcy, it isn’t usually advertised in newspapers.

Will my neighbours know I have an IVA?

Very unlikely. Nobody is notified, and people would have to search the register for your name.

Can I ask for my address to be hidden on the register?

In some cases, such as where there’s a risk of violence, you can apply to have your address withheld. Ask your insolvency practitioner.

How IVA Advice Online can help

Every situation is different, and an IVA isn’t right for everyone. We can look at your income, spending and debts with you and set out the debt solutions you could qualify for, including options other than an IVA. To talk it through, get in touch.