Are debt relief orders available in Scotland?
Debt relief orders only exist in England and Wales, with a separate scheme in Northern Ireland. In Scotland, the nearest equivalent for people with low income and few assets is the Minimal Asset Process.
Debt relief orders (DROs) are not available in Scotland. They are part of the law of England and Wales, and Northern Ireland has its own separate scheme. If you live in Scotland and have low income, few assets and debts you cannot pay, the nearest equivalent is the Minimal Asset Process (MAP), a simpler route into sequestration (bankruptcy in Scotland).
This page explains why, how MAP compares with a DRO, and what else you could consider. It is general information, not advice about your situation.
Why can’t you get a debt relief order in Scotland?
DROs are created by Part 7A of the Insolvency Act 1986. Section 440(2)(b) of that Act says the “second Group of Parts”, which includes Part 7A, does not extend to Scotland. The same section is the reason individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) and English bankruptcy do not apply here either.
GOV.UK also makes the point in its own eligibility rules: to get a DRO, you must have lived or worked in England and Wales within the last 3 years.
Northern Ireland has its own debt relief order scheme, made under its own insolvency law and run through approved intermediaries. It has its own rules and does not apply in Scotland.
Scotland is different. Scotland has its own debt solutions under the Bankruptcy (Scotland) Act 2016. For people with very little money and few possessions, that means the Minimal Asset Process, run by the Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), Scotland’s insolvency service.
What is the Minimal Asset Process?
MAP is a form of sequestration designed for people with low income and few assets. You apply to AiB through a money adviser, who checks whether you qualify and helps with the application. There is no fee.
You may be able to use MAP if:
- your debts are no more than £25,000 (there is no minimum);
- your assets are worth no more than £2,000 in total, no single item is worth more than £1,000, and you do not own land or property;
- a vehicle worth up to £3,000 is not counted as an asset if you reasonably need it;
- the Common Financial Tool (the standard Scottish budget) shows you have no money left over to pay towards your debts, or you have been getting certain benefits for at least 6 months;
- you have not had a MAP in the last 10 years, or any other sequestration in the last 5 years;
- you have been habitually resident in Scotland, or had an established place of business here, at some point in the past year.
You are normally discharged 6 months after the date of sequestration. At that point, the debts included are written off, apart from the types of debt that are never written off (see below).
For more detail, see the Minimal Asset Process.
How does MAP compare with a DRO?
| Debt relief order (England and Wales) | Minimal Asset Process (Scotland) | |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | An alternative to bankruptcy | A form of sequestration (bankruptcy) |
| Debt limit | Less than £50,000 | Up to £25,000, with no minimum |
| Assets | Less than £2,000 | No more than £2,000 in total, no single item over £1,000, and no land or property |
| Vehicle | Must not be worth £4,000 or more | Up to £3,000 ignored if reasonably required |
| Income | Less than £75 a month spare | No contribution needed under the Common Financial Tool, or prescribed benefits for at least 6 months |
| Connection | Lived or worked in England and Wales in the last 3 years | Habitually resident or a place of business in Scotland in the past year |
| Fee | None | None |
| How you apply | Through an approved debt adviser | Through a money adviser, to AiB |
| Used before? | Not if you applied for a DRO in the last 6 years | Not if you had a MAP in the last 10 years, or other sequestration in the last 5 |
| When it ends | After 12 months | Discharge after 6 months, with some restrictions for a further 6 months |
| Debts not covered | Includes student loans and court fines | Includes student loans, fines, debts from fraud and aliment. Secured debts are treated differently |
The biggest practical difference is the debt limit, which is lower for MAP. And because MAP is a form of bankruptcy, bankruptcy restrictions apply.
What are the downsides of MAP?
MAP can end with debts written off, but it is still bankruptcy, and it has consequences:
- Restrictions. While you are bankrupt you cannot be a company director, an MP, a councillor or a Justice of the Peace, and you must tell a lender you are bankrupt before borrowing £2,000 or more. Some restrictions continue for a further 6 months after discharge.
- Public register. Your details stay on the public Register of Insolvencies for 18 months from the date of bankruptcy.
- Credit rating. mygov.scot says bankruptcy can stay on your credit file for at least 6 years.
- Jobs. Bankruptcy may affect some jobs, such as accountant or solicitor.
- Not every debt goes. Student loans, fines, debts from fraud and aliment (financial support for a child or former partner) are not written off, and secured debts are treated differently.
Want to talk your options through? Tell us a little about your situation and a licensed insolvency practitioner firm will call you to go through every option, including ones that are not a trust deed.
May not be suitable in all circumstances. Fees apply. Your credit rating may be affected. Free, impartial advice is available from MoneyHelper and other services.
What if you do not qualify for MAP?
If your debts, assets or income are above the MAP limits, other Scottish options include:
- Full sequestration. Bankruptcy under Scots law for people who do not fit MAP. It has a £150 application fee, which is waived for many people, including those on Universal Credit. See sequestration.
- The Debt Arrangement Scheme (DAS). You repay your debts in full, with interest, fees and charges frozen and written off when you finish. It is free to set up through a money adviser.
- A protected trust deed. A formal arrangement with a licensed insolvency practitioner, for people with debts of at least £5,000. It has fees, affects your credit rating for six years, and homeowners may need to release equity. See what a trust deed is.
- A moratorium. Six months of protection from diligence (creditor enforcement such as arrestments) while you get advice.
- Asking creditors to write off debts. If you have no realistic prospect of paying, some creditors may agree to write off a debt voluntarily, although they do not have to.
Could the rules change?
A review of Scotland’s statutory debt solutions (the MacDermid Review) published its final report on 12 March 2026. It recommended raising the MAP debt limit to £50,000 and the vehicle limit to £5,000. As at 10 September 2026, the Scottish Government’s response had not been published and no regulations had been made. Until the law changes, the current limits apply.
If you think you might qualify for MAP, speak to a money adviser. It costs nothing, and free debt advice services in Scotland can check your eligibility and help with the application.
Official sources
Common questions
What is the Scottish equivalent of a debt relief order?
The nearest equivalent is the Minimal Asset Process, usually called MAP. It is aimed at people with low income, few assets and debts of up to £25,000. Unlike a debt relief order, MAP is a form of sequestration, which is bankruptcy under Scots law. That means bankruptcy restrictions apply while it lasts, and for a time afterwards.
Does MAP cost anything?
No. There has been no fee for MAP since 6 February 2023. You apply through a money adviser, and free money advice services in Scotland can help you with the application. Be cautious of anyone who asks you to pay to arrange MAP for you.
Can I get a debt relief order if I have just moved to Scotland from England?
Possibly, because GOV.UK says you need to have lived or worked in England and Wales within the last 3 years. But you may also meet the Scottish rules, which look at where you were habitually resident in the past year. Which country's law applies depends on your facts, so an adviser must check before you apply for anything.
Is the MAP debt limit going up?
It may do in future, but it has not changed yet. A review of Scotland's statutory debt solutions, published in March 2026, recommended raising the MAP debt limit to £50,000. No regulations to make that change had been made when this page was checked. For now, the limit is £25,000.
Related guides
- The Minimal Asset Process (MAP) A no-fee route into bankruptcy for people with low income, few assets and debts up to £25,000.
- Sequestration (bankruptcy in Scotland) How bankruptcy works in Scotland, who can apply, what it costs and what it means for you.
- Free debt advice in Scotland Free, impartial debt advice services in Scotland, with phone numbers and opening hours.