Debt relief order fee refunds: claim before the end of 2026

What has happened

The Insolvency Service, the government agency that runs debt relief orders, is asking people who paid for a DRO but did not complete their application to claim their money back. It says around £450,000 is waiting to be refunded.

A DRO used to cost £90. That fee was scrapped in 2024, and a DRO is now free. Anyone who paid the fee, in full or in instalments, between 2016 and April 2024 but did not submit their application can ask for it back. Some people will get £90. Others may be owed more or less, depending on whether they paid in full, overpaid, or started more than one application.

The agency sent letters to people due a refund in March, May and November 2025, and again in January 2026. Because the refunds go back ten years, it knows some contact details are out of date. It is hoping to return as much money as possible before the end of 2026.

What it means for you

If you started a DRO at any point between 2016 and April 2024, paid some or all of the fee, and then stopped, there is a fair chance some of that money is yours to reclaim. It does not matter why you stopped. Moving house since then is the most likely reason you never heard about it.

The Insolvency Service says this is a genuine refund. Even so, scammers often copy real schemes. The real refund is claimed directly from the Insolvency Service and costs nothing to claim. Nobody genuine will ask you for a fee to release it, or for your online banking password or PIN.

If money is still tight now, a DRO may be worth looking at again. It is for people in England and Wales who owe less than £50,000 and cannot afford their repayments, and there are limits on savings and belongings too. You apply through an approved debt adviser, and it no longer costs anything.

Who it affects

People in England and Wales who paid towards a debt relief order fee between 2016 and April 2024 but did not submit the application.

What you can do

• Claim directly from the Insolvency Service. The GOV.UK announcement gives the email address and postal address, and lists what to include: your name, address, phone number, your DRO application number if you know it, and the bank account the refund should go to. You can ask for a cheque instead.
• If you have moved or changed your name since you applied, include your old name and address too. If a charity or someone else paid the fee for you, give their details.
• If you have questions about the refund, call the Insolvency Service helpline on 0300 678 0015. It is open Monday to Thursday from 9am to 5pm, and on Fridays from 9am to 3pm.
• Be wary of anyone who contacts you offering to get the refund for you. The Insolvency Service has a page on scams that use its name.
• If you are struggling with debt now, get free advice. A free debt adviser can tell you whether a debt relief order or another option suits you.

Sources

Every fact in this page was checked against these official sources on 5 November 2026.

1. Customers urged to claim debt relief order refund from the Insolvency Service before the end of the year Insolvency Service
2. How to get a Debt Relief Order (DRO) Insolvency Service

Written and fact-checked by the PiggyBank editorial team. Published 5 November 2026. This news is general information, not financial advice. How we write and check our guides.