Trust Deed
After a Trust Deed
You've completed your Protected Trust Deed. Your debts are settled and you've been discharged. Here's how to rebuild, what lenders look at, and how to reduce the chance of a decline.
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
What changes
What changes when your Trust Deed ends
A Protected Trust Deed usually runs around four years. When you're discharged, a few things change:
- You're formally discharged. Your included debts are settled and written off, and creditors can no longer pursue them.
- Your trustee applies to the Accountant in Bankruptcy for your discharge using Form 5 and must tell you the date you were discharged. Keep that confirmation of your discharge date, as you may need it for the credit reference agencies.
- Your discharge is recorded on the Register of Insolvencies, and the entry is later removed.
- The Trust Deed marker stays on your credit file for six years from the date it started, or until the date it ended if that is later. Then it drops off completely.
Myths
Common myths about life after a Trust Deed
There's a lot of out-of-date advice out there. Here's what's actually true:
- You might have heard
A Trust Deed is the same as sequestration (bankruptcy).
What's actually trueIt isn't. A Protected Trust Deed is a separate, voluntary arrangement, and it's treated as its own thing on your record.
- You might have heard
You have to wait six years before you can get any credit.
What's actually trueYou can apply. Some lenders consider people who have been discharged from a Trust Deed. Each sets its own criteria, and acceptance is never guaranteed. The six years is about when the marker drops off, not when you can apply.
- You might have heard
Your discharge clears your credit file straight away.
What's actually trueDischarge ends the Trust Deed, but the marker stays until six years from when it started, or until it ended if that is later. It's worth checking your file shows you as discharged.
Discharged from your Trust Deed? Your Comeback Plan maps your dates and shows options from our panel you may be able to apply for.
Start your Comeback PlanGuides
Your next steps after a Trust Deed
Rebuilding credit after a Trust Deed
The foundations that get your file healthy again.
Credit cards after a Trust Deed
Which credit-builder cards consider a discharged Trust Deed.
Mortgages after a Trust Deed
What mortgage lenders look for after a Trust Deed.
Loans after a Trust Deed
What loan lenders look for, and how to check before you apply.
When does a Trust Deed leave your credit file?
The six-year rule, the separate register clock, and what drops off when.
Credit-builder apps after a Trust Deed
Scotland's route back, and where a builder fits after discharge.
Trust Deed discharge: what happens at the end
What discharge from a protected Trust Deed means: how your discharge is confirmed, which debts are written off, your credit file and what to do next.
Before you apply
Will I actually be accepted?
Check before you apply
A full application is a hard search, and a run of hard searches can set your progress back. Your Comeback Plan shows options where you're more likely to fit; lenders make their own decisions.
Mistakes to avoid after a Trust Deed
- Applying to several lenders at once: space applications out; each hard search adds up.
- Applying where you'll likely be declined: check eligibility first.
- Not keeping the confirmation of your discharge date: you may need it to prove you've been discharged.
- Ignoring your credit file: make sure it shows you as discharged and each debt as settled.
Questions
Frequently asked questions
Can I get a credit card after a Trust Deed?
You can apply. Some lenders consider people who have been discharged from a Trust Deed. Each sets its own criteria, and acceptance is never guaranteed. Builder cards usually start with a low limit, and checking your eligibility first helps you avoid declines.
How long does a Trust Deed stay on my credit file?
Six years from the date your Trust Deed started, or the date it ended if that is later. Then the marker drops off.
Will a Trust Deed show on my credit file after discharge?
It stays until the six-year point, then is removed entirely. Your discharge is recorded on the Register of Insolvencies, and the entry is later removed.
Can I get a mortgage after a Trust Deed?
Some specialist lenders consider applicants after a Trust Deed. A regulated mortgage broker can tell you what applies to you.
Will applying for credit hurt my score after a Trust Deed?
A full application is a hard search and does leave a footprint.
What is a Form 5 and do I need it?
Your trustee applies to the Accountant in Bankruptcy for your discharge using Form 5 and must tell you the date you were discharged. Keep that confirmation of your discharge date safe: you may need it to make sure your credit file is updated correctly.
Ready when you are
Your Comeback Plan maps your dates and shows options from our panel you may be able to apply for.
Start your Comeback PlanFree to use, no obligation. The plan itself won't affect your credit score.