How to Apply for Your Own Bankruptcy: 2026 Online Application Walkthrough
Step-by-step guide to applying for your own bankruptcy at gov.uk: the £680 fee, what documents you need, what the online form asks, what happens after submission.
Quick Answer
To apply for your own bankruptcy in England and Wales, complete the online application at gov.uk/apply-for-bankruptcy, pay £680 (£550 deposit + £130 adjudicator fee), and answer the Adjudicator's questions about your debts, assets, and income. The Adjudicator has 28 days to decide, extended by 14 days if more information is asked for after day 14 (r.10.40). You will not normally have a court hearing. The order takes effect on the date the Adjudicator makes it. You are then discharged automatically after 12 months. The whole process is administrative, not adversarial — it is designed to be done without a solicitor.
Before you start
Three things to settle before you sit down to apply.
1. Confirm bankruptcy is the right answer. If your debts are £50,000 or less, your assets are under £2,000, your monthly disposable income is £75 or under, and you do not own a home with equity, a Debt Relief Order (now free to apply for) will achieve the same outcome. See our Bankruptcy vs DRO comparison.
2. Get the £680 ready. The fee cannot be waived, but you can pay it in instalments — your application is only submitted to the Adjudicator once the full £680 is paid. Some debt charities may be able to help (GOV.UK). HMCTS fee remission (form EX160) does not apply to the £130 adjudicator fee, which is an administrative charge rather than a court fee.
3. Open a basic bank account in advance. When the bankruptcy order is made, your bank will usually freeze your accounts (GOV.UK). Open a basic bank account with a provider that accepts customers in insolvency procedures before you apply — ask a debt adviser about basic bank accounts. Your name will appear on the Individual Insolvency Register.
What you need to hand
You can start your application and come back to it later (GOV.UK), but gather these before you start:
- National Insurance number
- Your last three months of bank statements for every account you hold
- A list of every debt: creditor name, amount, account reference, type of debt
- Your last six months of payslips or self-employment accounts
- Mortgage statement (if you own a home)
- Tenancy agreement (if you rent)
- Pension paperwork for any pension you draw from or contribute to
- Council tax bill, utility bills, broadband bill for the last 12 months
- Vehicle registration and current valuation (Auto Trader or similar guide)
- Credit report from one of the major agencies — useful for catching debts you may have forgotten
If you are missing any of these, you can fill in the form to the best of your knowledge — there is space for "I don't know" on most fields. But the more accurate the figures, the smoother the process. The Official Receiver will check your figures against credit-reference data after the order is made.
The application — section by section
The online form asks about the following. Here is what each part asks for, what trips people up, and what the Adjudicator is looking for.
About you
Name, date of birth, address, contact details, National Insurance number. Plus any other names you have used in the last six years (maiden names, business trading names).
Watch out for: if you have moved in the last three years, list every address. The Adjudicator uses these to cross-check creditor records.
About your debts
You list every unsecured debt. Not just the big ones. Every credit card, every personal loan, every overdraft, every catalogue, every "buy-now-pay-later" balance, every council tax arrear, every unpaid utility bill, every CCJ.
Watch out for: list every debt. Leaving one out can be an offence (s.263O), and that creditor will not hear about your bankruptcy. An unlisted bankruptcy debt is still released on discharge (s.281(1)). Pull a credit report (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion all do free statutory reports) and cross-check.
About your assets
Cash, savings, investments, premium bonds, ISAs, vehicles, jewellery, valuable household items, business assets.
Pensions held in approved schemes are protected under section 11 of the Welfare Reform and Pensions Act 1999 — most occupational and personal pension schemes registered with HMRC qualify. Pensions already drawn down (cash in your account) are not protected. Do not assume — check the scheme rules and take advice for any non-standard arrangement (e.g. SIPPs with unusual investments, QROPS).
About your home
If you rent: tenancy type, rent amount, deposit, length remaining.
If you own: market value, mortgage outstanding, equity, whether jointly owned. The adjudicator may refuse if other money you have would cover your debts (GOV.UK); otherwise the trustee in bankruptcy will deal with the home after the order.
About your income
Take-home pay, self-employment net profit, benefits, pension drawdowns, rental income, any side income.
Watch out for: under-stating income to look "more bankrupt" backfires. The Official Receiver cross-checks your figures. Inconsistency triggers an Income Payments Order assessment with stricter scrutiny.
About your spending
Rent or mortgage, utilities, food, transport, insurance, phone, broadband, childcare, debt repayments. Official receivers use a Standard Financial Statement calculator to assess surplus income (OR technical guidance para 35.2). Spending wildly above the trigger figures will be questioned.
About your job and business
Employment status, employer, job title, length of service. Self-employed: trading name, sector, turnover, business assets, business debts (which become personal debts in bankruptcy if you are a sole trader or partner).
Recent transactions
The Adjudicator and Official Receiver want to know if you have:
- Transferred any asset (sold a car for less than market value, gifted property to a relative, paid one creditor in full to escape another)
- Made any "preferences" — paid a friend or family member ahead of other creditors
- Run up new debt knowing bankruptcy was coming
These transactions can be unwound under the Insolvency Act 1986, sections 339–342. Disclosing them does not stop the bankruptcy — concealing them can lead to a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order, which keeps restrictions in place for 2 to 15 years (Sch 4A).
Why you are bankrupt
A short narrative — a paragraph or two. Common causes: business failure, redundancy, divorce, illness, bereavement, problem gambling, fraud (someone else's), pandemic disruption.
This is not a moral judgement section. It is a factual classification. Be honest, be brief.
Previous insolvency
Have you been bankrupt before? Have you had a DRO? Have you had an IVA or company directorship that ended in insolvency? List dates.
Confirmation and declaration
You confirm everything you have said is true to the best of your knowledge and belief. Knowingly or recklessly making a false representation or omission in the application, or in information given to the adjudicator, is an offence under section 263O of the Insolvency Act 1986 (up to 7 years on indictment: Sch 10).
Payment
£680 by card. If the application is refused, the deposit is repaid if you do not ask for a review within 14 days (Fees Order art 4(6)); the £130 adjudicator fee is the non-refundable part. HMCTS fee remission (EX160 / EX160A) does not apply to the adjudicator route, which is an administrative application rather than a court fee.
Submission
You receive a reference number. The Adjudicator has 28 days to decide, extended by 14 days if more information is asked for after day 14 (r.10.40).
What happens after submission
While the adjudicator decides
You may get a request for additional information. If the adjudicator does not decide within the determination period, that counts as a refusal (r.10.40(3)).
The order
When the Adjudicator makes the order, you receive an email and letter. The order takes effect on that date.
After the order
- Your name appears on the Individual Insolvency Register
- Your bank will usually freeze your accounts (GOV.UK)
- The official receiver may interview you by phone, video or in person (GOV.UK)
- Your creditors are notified by the Official Receiver
- The Official Receiver decides whether assets justify appointing a private trustee in bankruptcy
Months 1-12
- The trustee deals with your assets
- You comply with any Income Payments Order or Agreement
- You attend any further interviews if asked
- You do not act as a company director, do not borrow over £500 without disclosing, do not trade under a different name
Month 12: discharge
Discharge is automatic at 12 months under the Insolvency Act 1986, section 279. You can ask the official receiver for a certificate of discharge (IR r.10.145) or email the Insolvency Service for a letter (GOV.UK). The bankruptcy comes off the public register three months later. You are released from your bankruptcy debts (s.281(1)), except debts such as court fines and debts incurred through fraud (s.281(3)–(4)).
If your conduct warrants it, the official receiver (acting on the Secretary of State's direction) can apply for a Bankruptcy Restrictions Order keeping some restrictions in place for 2 to 15 years; you can offer a bankruptcy restrictions undertaking instead (Sch 4A paras 1(2), 4(2), 7).
Common mistakes that delay or refuse applications
| Mistake | Consequence | How to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Missing the adjudicator's date for further information (s.263L(2)) | The adjudicator may not be satisfied and must then refuse (s.263K(3)) | Set a calendar reminder when you submit. Check email daily. |
| Listing one balance twice (once with creditor, once with debt collector) | Adjudicator queries, delay | Use credit report not creditor letters; one debt = one entry |
| Under-stating income | Trigger of IPA assessment | Use HMRC and payslip figures honestly |
| Forgetting a debt that you are paying down | The creditor is not told and you risk an offence (s.263O) | Cross-check with credit report |
| Not telling the bank in advance | No access to your account once it is frozen | Open a basic bank account before you apply |
| Disposing of assets in the run-up | Trustee unwinds the transaction | Stop. Talk to a debt adviser before doing anything with assets |
What if the application is refused
The adjudicator must refuse unless satisfied that: the adjudicator has jurisdiction (s.263I), you are unable to pay your debts, no bankruptcy petition is pending against you, and no bankruptcy order has already been made for the debts (s.263K(1), (3)).
If refused, first ask the adjudicator for a review within 14 days (r.10.43). If the refusal is confirmed, you can appeal to the court within 28 days (s.263N(5); r.10.44; IPD para 17.3), supported by a witness statement explaining the grounds. The court bundle for that appeal is designed to follow the Chancery Guide's bundle guidance (Chapter 21 and Appendix X) — paginated, indexed, with the witness statement at the front.
You can also re-apply once the issue is fixed. The £550 deposit on the refused application is refunded; the £130 adjudicator fee is not, and you pay the fee again on re-application.
How BundleCreator helps if you end up in court
Most own-application bankruptcies do not need a hearing. But these do:
- An appeal against an Adjudicator's refusal
- An application to annul a bankruptcy order (Insolvency Act 1986, section 282)
- A defended Income Payments Order
- An application about your home (trustee's order for sale at the County Court)
For all of those, the County Court hearing centre with insolvency jurisdiction will expect a paginated, indexed bundle designed to follow the Chancery Guide's bundle guidance (Chapter 21 and Appendix X). BundleCreator's Bankruptcy and Insolvency template produces this format with pagination, hyperlinked index, OCR, and bookmarks in around 15 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a solicitor to apply?
No. The application is designed to be done without a solicitor. Solicitors are useful for complex situations: business assets, contested petitions, allegations of misconduct, equity in a home where a partner is also affected. For a straightforward own-application bankruptcy, an experienced debt adviser at Citizens Advice or StepChange is enough.
How long does the whole process take from application to discharge?
Roughly 13 months: 28 days for the Adjudicator + 12 months from the order to discharge. Add another 3 months for the entry to come off the public register.
Will I lose my car?
You can usually keep your vehicle if you need it for work, care or basic needs and other transport is not practical (GOV.UK). Otherwise the trustee may sell it and replace it with a cheaper one, taking the difference. If the car is essential for work and a family member who could buy it out can pay, that is often the cleanest route.
Will I lose my pension?
Approved occupational pension schemes and most personal pensions are protected. Pensions you have already drawn down (the cash in your bank account) are not protected. Pensions on the books, unaccessed, are.
Can I keep one credit card to pay essential bills?
No. All your unsecured debts, including credit cards, become part of the bankruptcy. Credit card accounts are closed. You will need to use a basic bank account debit card or, after discharge, apply for a credit-builder card.
Will my partner be affected?
Joint debts are enforceable against the non-bankrupt partner. Joint assets (including a jointly owned home) are dealt with by the trustee in proportion to your share. The non-bankrupt partner's solo debts and solo assets are unaffected.
Further reading
- Apply for your own bankruptcy — Official application portal
- Insolvency Act 1986 — Statute
- Practice Direction – Insolvency Proceedings — How insolvency hearings are run
- Bankruptcy Petition vs Debt Relief Order: How to Choose in 2026
- Statutory Demand Defence: Setting Aside Under Insolvency Rules 2016
Free tools mentioned in this article
Watch the short walkthrough
Short tutorial videos showing the exact BundleCreator features mentioned in this article.
Onboarding
Creating Your First Bundle
Create a bundle in three clicks — from the dashboard Create Bundle button, through the 23-area-of-law picker, to picking a hearing type and watching the editor open. This walkthrough uses the Pro-tips Starter Bundle as the example so you see the flow without real-case complexity.
Onboarding
Getting Started with BundleCreator
Your first thirty seconds in BundleCreator — the dashboard, the trial banner, the Create Bundle button top right, the area-of-law modal covering 24 areas of law plus a Pro-tips practice tile, and the editor with sections, document, toolbar, and the Sections / Continuous numbering toggle. Built for litigants in person and legal professionals across England and Wales.
Onboarding
Using Templates Effectively
Over 370 templates across 24 areas of law, pre-loaded by area + hearing type. See the pen icon in the Actions column, type over the yellow guidance, and watch the yellow strip out automatically at export — drafting prompts stay in your editor and never reach the judge. Built for litigants in person and legal professionals across England and Wales.
About the Author
Stevie Hayes
Legal Technology Compliance Specialist & Founder
Former Head of Data Security at Holland & Barrett, a Governance, Risk and Compliance specialist, Stevie brings over 30 years of technology expertise—including delivery for Sky, Disney, and BT—to court bundle compliance. His five years navigating the UK Family Court, both with legal representation and as a litigant in person, revealed the gap between what courts require and what tools deliver.
Areas of Expertise:
ISO 27001 Information Security • Data Security & Compliance • Practice Direction 27A • UK Family Court Procedures