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The Insolvency Register is a public record, run by the Insolvency Service, that lists current individual insolvencies in England and Wales: bankruptcies, individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs) and debt relief orders. It’s separate from your credit file, which is held by the credit reference agencies, though the same insolvency usually appears on both, often for different lengths of time. Our guide on what a debt relief order is covers that route in more detail if you’re not sure how it compares with bankruptcy or an IVA.
What you’ll find on the Insolvency Register
Anyone can search the register online by name, and it typically shows:
- Whether someone is currently bankrupt, and key dates such as when the bankruptcy started
- Current IVAs, including the supervisor’s details
- Current debt relief orders
Because it’s a public register, it’s used by a range of organisations, not just lenders, to check whether someone has a current insolvency. This is different from your credit file, which is only shared with organisations you’ve given permission to, typically lenders you apply to.
The register only shows current arrangements, not a full history. Once a bankruptcy, IVA or debt relief order comes to an end and is removed, a search of the register on its own won’t tell you it ever existed. That’s one reason the credit file, which keeps the record for 6 years, tends to matter more for anyone assessing your longer-term financial history, including a mortgage lender.
Insolvency Register vs credit file: how long entries last
This is where a lot of confusion comes from, since the two records don’t run for the same length of time.
| Insolvency Register | Credit file | |
|---|---|---|
| Bankruptcy | Generally removed some months after discharge | Stays 6 years from the bankruptcy date |
| IVA | Removed 3 months after the IVA ends | Stays 6 years from the start date, even if it completes sooner |
| Debt relief order | Generally removed some months after it ends | Stays 6 years |
| Who can see it | Anyone, it’s a public register | Only you and organisations you give permission to |
So an IVA or bankruptcy can come off the public Insolvency Register well before it disappears from your credit file. This matters because a lender assessing a mortgage application checks your credit file, not the Insolvency Register, so the 6-year credit file period is usually the more relevant one for remortgaging.
Why the Insolvency Register still matters even after it’s removed
Some checks, including certain identity and fraud checks used by lenders and other organisations, may still reference historical insolvency data even after an entry is removed from the live public register, depending on the systems involved. It’s also worth knowing about if you’re asked directly on a form whether you’ve ever been bankrupt or subject to an IVA, since coming off the register doesn’t change the honest answer to that question.
An adviser helping you remortgage after an IVA or after bankruptcy will usually ask directly about your history rather than relying only on what currently shows on the register, precisely because the register and your full history aren’t the same thing. Being upfront about a past insolvency, even one that’s no longer publicly listed, tends to go better than a lender or their checks uncovering it later in the process.
Why an IVA is removed from the register sooner than your credit file
It can seem odd that an IVA disappears from the public register only 3 months after it ends, while it stays on your credit file for 6 years from when it started. The register exists mainly so that creditors, courts and other organisations can see whether someone currently has a live insolvency arrangement in place, so once it’s finished there’s less need for it to stay listed publicly. Your credit file, by contrast, is there to give lenders a longer view of your credit history, which is why it keeps the record for longer, on a fixed 6-year timetable that doesn’t shorten just because the arrangement itself has finished.
Checking the register yourself
If you want to confirm whether a bankruptcy, IVA or debt relief order is still listed, you can search the Insolvency Register on GOV.UK by name. This is useful if you’re not sure exactly when an arrangement ended, though your credit file, and in the case of an IVA, your supervisor, are usually more reliable sources for the exact dates that matter for a mortgage application.
Scotland and Northern Ireland
The Insolvency Register described here covers England and Wales. Scotland has its own equivalent for sequestrations and protected trust deeds, held separately. Northern Ireland has its own insolvency framework too. If you’re not in England or Wales, check the equivalent register for your nation rather than assuming the same process applies, and hedge any specific timings until you’ve confirmed them.
What this means for remortgaging with adverse credit
For a remortgage, what matters most is usually your credit file, not the public Insolvency Register, since lenders assess applications against your credit file and their own criteria, not by searching the public register directly. If you’re discharged from bankruptcy or have completed an IVA, the register coming off sooner doesn’t shorten the 6-year credit file period, so it’s worth planning around the credit file dates rather than the register dates.
That said, if you’re ever asked a direct question about past insolvency on a form or by a lender, answer honestly regardless of what the register currently shows, since the question is usually about your history, not about what’s still publicly listed. Free, impartial advice on insolvency and its effect on your finances is available from MoneyHelper and StepChange.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Insolvency Register the same as my credit file?
No. The Insolvency Register is a separate public record run by the Insolvency Service, listing current bankruptcies, IVAs and debt relief orders in England and Wales. Your credit file is held separately by the credit reference agencies and can show the same insolvency for longer, typically 6 years.
Can anyone search the Insolvency Register?
Yes, it's a public register, and anyone can search it online by name free of charge. This is different from your credit file, which only you and organisations you've given permission to, such as lenders you apply to, can normally see, so the two records serve different purposes for different audiences.
How long does an IVA stay on the Insolvency Register?
An IVA is normally removed from the Insolvency Register 3 months after it ends. It stays on your credit file for longer, 6 years from the start date, even though it comes off the public register sooner, which is why the credit file date usually matters more for a mortgage application.
Does Scotland use the Insolvency Register?
No. Scotland has its own register for sequestrations and protected trust deeds, run separately from the England and Wales Insolvency Register described here. Check the position with the Accountant in Bankruptcy or a Scottish debt adviser if this applies to you, rather than assuming the same rules apply.