Free, plain-English guides to debt and insolvency in England & Wales — whether you owe money you can’t repay or you’re chasing a debt that someone won’t pay.
If you’re struggling with debt, start with our guides to a Debt Relief Order (DRO) and an Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA) — two formal routes that can write off or restructure what you owe. If you have several county court debts, Form N92 explains applying for an administration order so you can manage them through one affordable payment. Served a statutory demand? The deadline to apply to set it aside is 18 days from service — our guide to setting aside a statutory demand shows you exactly what to file and when, and our bankruptcy petition guide walks through what happens next.
If you’re the creditor, the usual first step for an unpaid debt is a county court money claim — see our complete Money Claim Online walkthrough. Our guides to the statutory demand (Form SD) and the winding-up petition cover the insolvency routes when a company won’t pay.
Each guide walks you through it step by step — what it means, what to write, and how to file. This is self-help information, not legal advice. Every guide is free to read — and when you’re ready, Chris can help you draft your own documents to a professional standard, in minutes.
A claim from a company you never dealt with may concern an account assigned by the original lender. The Pre-Action Protocol expects details of the assignment; the court rules let you ask for documents and require proof. Respond by your deadline.
A CCA request asks a creditor, in writing and with the statutory fee, for a copy of your executed credit agreement. If it does not comply, it cannot enforce while the default continues. It does not stop a court deadline.
Under section 5 of the Limitation Act 1980, a simple contract debt cannot be sued on more than six years after the cause of action accrued. A signed written acknowledgment or a payment restarts the clock; once time has run, nothing revives it.
You defend a debt claim by filing a defence before your deadline: 4pm on the 28th day after issue for Online Civil Money Claims, or 14/28 days after service for other claims, including Money Claim Online. Here is what the rules require it to say.
A Debt Relief Order can freeze — then write off — debts you genuinely cannot repay. The application fee was scrapped in April 2024, but you still can’t apply alone. Here’s how to arrive at the appointment ready, with nothing missed.
Sixty quiet days with no interest, no fees and no creditor contact — the Debt Respite Scheme exists, yet there is no form you can file yourself. Here is the route in.
A statutory demand gives you 18 days — not 21 — to apply to set it aside on Form IAA. What that deadline really means, and how to complete the application.
A free, step-by-step guide to complaining about an insolvency practitioner in England & Wales — the Complaints Gateway, who regulates IPs, the three-year time limit, and what a complaint can and can’t achieve.
By the eLitigant Editorial Team · Reviewed for current forms, fees & procedure · How we check our guides Draft
By the eLitigant Editorial Team · Reviewed for current forms, fees & procedure · How we check our guides Draft
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