The UK Insolvency Service is urging people who paid a fee for a Debt Relief Order (DRO) but did not submit their application to claim their money back before the end of 2026.
Around £450,000 in refunds remains available for eligible customers. The refunds relate to DRO application fees paid between 2016 and April 2024, when the £90 application fee was still in place.
The Insolvency Service has attempted to contact affected customers, but some may have changed their address or contact details since making their applications.
Who Can Claim a Debt Relief Order Refund?
Customers may be eligible if they:
- Paid towards a Debt Relief Order application.
- Made the payment between 2016 and April 2024.
- Did not submit or complete the DRO application.
- Paid the application fee either in full or through instalments.
The standard DRO application fee was £90 before it was scrapped in April 2024. However, the amount refunded may not always be exactly £90. The Insolvency Service says some customers may be entitled to more or less depending on their payment history, including overpayments or multiple incomplete applications.
What Is a Debt Relief Order?
A Debt Relief Order is a formal debt solution for eligible individuals who cannot afford to repay their debts. It is an alternative to bankruptcy and is available to people meeting specific eligibility requirements in England and Wales.
How to Claim the Debt Relief Order Refund
People who believe they are entitled to a refund should contact the Insolvency Service at:
dro.preorder@insolvency.gov.uk
For payment into a bank or building society account, the claimant should provide:
- DRO application number, if known
- Name
- Address
- Telephone number
- Bank or building society name
- Account name
- Full 8-digit account number
- Full 6-digit sort code
- Building Society roll number, where applicable
The Insolvency Service will verify refund applications against its records to help prevent fraudulent claims.
What If Your Contact Details Have Changed?
People who have moved or changed their name since making their DRO application can still contact the Insolvency Service.
They should provide their previous name and address, together with their current details. If a charity or another organisation originally paid the fee on their behalf, information about that organisation should also be provided.
Can the Refund Be Paid by Cheque?
Yes. Customers who prefer to receive a cheque rather than a bank or building society payment can state this when contacting the Insolvency Service.
Why Are Customers Being Asked to Claim Now?
The Insolvency Service has contacted affected customers several times since November 2025. However, because some refunds relate to applications going back to 2016, some customer contact information may no longer be current.
The agency says it wants to return as much of the outstanding £450,000 as possible before the end of 2026.
Note
The refund applies to eligible incomplete DRO applications for which payments were made before the application fee was abolished in April 2024. It does not mean that every person who previously applied for a DRO is automatically entitled to a refund.
Customers should use the official Insolvency Service contact details and be cautious of scams when providing financial information.
Conclusion
The Insolvency Service has identified around £450,000 in outstanding Debt Relief Order refunds for people who paid towards applications that were not submitted. Eligible customers can contact the agency to request a refund, including those whose contact details have changed since their original application.
With the agency encouraging claims before the end of 2026, people who believe they paid towards an incomplete DRO application between 2016 and April 2024 should check whether they are eligible and contact the Insolvency Service.
