DRO
Life after a debt relief order
Twelve months ago your debts were frozen. Now they are written off, but your credit file has not caught up. This guide explains what has changed, what has not yet, and what you can do now.
- DRO complete
- Know your dates
Free to use, no obligation. The plan itself won't affect your credit score. It is not advice, and acceptance is never guaranteed.
Written and reviewed by the AfterMy team · Last reviewed October 2026
Quick answerWhen your DRO ends, the debts listed in it are written off and the restrictions that came with it lift. Two things carry on afterwards: your details stay on the Individual Insolvency Register for a further three months, and the DRO itself stays on your credit file for six years from the date it started. Credit builder products are designed for people rebuilding a file like this.
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What changes the day your DRO ends
What nobody explains is what the next morning looks like. At the end of the twelve-month moratorium, the debts included in your DRO are written off.
Not paused, not reduced: gone. The creditors listed in it can no longer chase you for that money, and you have no further payments to make on any of it.
The restrictions that applied during the DRO end at the same time, including the rule about telling a lender if you want to borrow above a set amount, so you are legally free to apply for credit again from that day. What has not changed is what a lender sees when they look you up, and that is the part worth understanding properly before you apply for anything.
The debts are written off and the restrictions lift on the same day. Your credit file is on a different clock.
When your name comes off the public register
While your DRO was running, your name and details appeared on the Individual Insolvency Register, which anyone can search. That entry is removed three months after the DRO ends, so about fifteen months after it started.
This matters more to people than they usually admit, because it is the part that feels public. Once it is gone, a casual search of the register will not turn you up.
It is worth checking the register yourself after those three months have passed, and chasing it if the entry is still showing, because register data and credit reference data are held separately.
Three months after your DRO ends, your entry leaves the public register. Check it yourself rather than assuming.
Finished your DRO? Your Comeback Plan maps your dates and shows options from our panel you may be able to apply for.
Start your Comeback PlanWhat your credit file shows now
This is where the timelines separate. The DRO marker stays on your credit file for six years from the date the DRO started, not from the date it ended.
Alongside the marker, the debts listed in the DRO stay on your file for the same six years. They won't show as paid or settled, but they should be recorded as included in the DRO rather than as live debts being chased.
Check all three credit reference agencies, because they hold separate records and an account that was updated correctly at one may be wrong at another. Getting those entries corrected is time well spent.
Six years runs from the date your DRO started, not from the date it ended.
What lenders look at after a DRO
There is no legal bar to applying once your DRO has ended. A DRO can leave a thin file as well as a marked one, because the accounts that were written off stop being active history, so lenders may have little recent information to judge you on.
When you apply, lenders look at your on-time history, affordability and an accurate credit file, so check yours before you apply.
The thin file is as much of an obstacle as the marker. Lenders look at on-time history, affordability and an accurate file.
Building a record alongside the marker
Nothing you can buy will remove an accurate DRO marker before its time, but what sits alongside it is entirely within your control, and a file showing a DRO plus a record of on-time payments reads very differently to a lender than the same marker with nothing beside it. Lenders look at a record of on-time payments: if you do use credit, keep it small, use it lightly and clear it in full every month.
Register to vote at your current address, keep your details consistent across accounts, and build a buffer with the money that used to go on debt.
You cannot remove the marker early. You can decide what the rest of your file says.
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Questions
Frequently asked questions
Are my debts really gone after a DRO?
The debts that were listed in your DRO are written off at the end of the twelve months, and those creditors cannot pursue you for them. Debts that were not included, and certain types that a DRO cannot cover such as student loans, court fines and child maintenance, carry on as normal. Check your DRO paperwork against your credit reports so you know exactly which is which.
How long does a DRO stay on my credit file after it ends?
Six years from the date the DRO started, not from the date it finished. It drops off automatically on that date and nothing needs to be done to remove it.
Can I get a bank account after a DRO?
Usually yes. A basic bank account is often straightforward to open, and you can move to a fuller account later. Accounts vary in what they offer and what they check, so it is worth comparing rather than assuming your options are limited to one type.
Will my name stay on the insolvency register forever?
No. Your entry is removed from the Individual Insolvency Register three months after your DRO ends. That is separate from your credit file, which runs on the six-year timetable, so the two disappear at different times.
Can I get a mortgage after a debt relief order?
You can apply. Some lenders consider people who have had their DRO end. Each sets its own criteria, and acceptance is never guaranteed. Some specialist lenders will consider an application while a marker is still showing. They look at your deposit, affordability and your record since the DRO. A regulated mortgage broker can tell you what is realistic for you.
Know your dates
Your Comeback Plan maps your dates and shows options from our panel you may be able to apply for. Free to use, no obligation, and the plan itself will not affect your credit score.
Start your Comeback PlanFree to use, no obligation. The plan itself won't affect your credit score.