IVA application guide
Apply for an IVA online
Start an Individual Voluntary Arrangement application with a free eligibility check, understand whether an IVA is suitable, and see exactly what happens before your creditors vote.
- No upfront eligibility check fee
- For England, Wales and Northern Ireland
- Based on the current 2025 IVA Protocol
- Last reviewed 27 April 2026
The direct answer
How to apply for an IVA
To apply for an IVA, complete a suitability check, speak to an adviser, provide evidence of your debts and budget, then have a licensed Insolvency Practitioner prepare the proposal for your creditors to vote on.
You cannot set up an IVA entirely by yourself. A formal Individual Voluntary Arrangement must be prepared and supervised by a licensed Insolvency Practitioner, who reviews your finances, drafts the proposal, sends it to creditors, and supervises the arrangement if it is approved.
The fastest route is to complete an eligibility check first. If an IVA looks suitable, an adviser will confirm your details, explain other debt solutions, and only then move you toward a formal proposal.
Eligibility first
Check whether an IVA is likely to fit before you apply
An IVA is a serious legal debt solution, so suitability matters before any formal application begins.
An IVA may fit if you:
- Owe around £7,000 or more in unsecured debts
- Have debts with more than one creditor
- Have regular income from work, self-employment, pension or benefits mixed with income
- Can afford a monthly payment after rent, food, utilities and essential bills
- Live in England, Wales or Northern Ireland
- Need legal protection from creditor pressure or enforcement
An IVA may not fit if you:
- Live in Scotland, where a Protected Trust Deed may apply instead
- Have very low disposable income and may qualify for a Debt Relief Order
- Could repay your debts in full within a reasonable period
- Only have one small debt or one creditor
- Have debts that cannot be included, such as student loans or court fines
- Work in a role where insolvency restrictions could affect your employment
Application process
The IVA application steps from today to creditor approval
Complete the online eligibility check
Answer a short set of questions about your debt level, income, creditors and monthly affordability. This helps filter out cases where a Debt Relief Order, Debt Management Plan or bankruptcy may be more suitable.
Speak to an adviser about your options
You should be told about all realistic debt solutions, not pushed straight into an IVA. This is where affordability, risks, employment, home ownership and creditor pressure are checked properly.
Gather documents and confirm your budget
Your adviser or Insolvency Practitioner will need evidence of your debts, income, essential spending, assets and any enforcement action. A realistic budget matters because the IVA has to be sustainable.
Your Insolvency Practitioner prepares the proposal
The proposal explains what you owe, what you can afford, how long the IVA will last, what creditors are expected to receive, and what fees will be deducted from your payments.
Creditors vote on the IVA
Creditors vote by debt value. If creditors representing at least 75% of the voting debt approve, the IVA becomes legally binding on included unsecured creditors.
Your IVA starts if approved
You make one agreed monthly payment. Included creditors should stop direct contact, interest and charges are frozen, and the Insolvency Practitioner supervises the arrangement until completion.
Start carefully
Check if you qualify before speaking to creditors
The eligibility check takes around 2 minutes and helps you understand whether an IVA is likely to be suitable before you move into a formal application.
What you need
IVA application document checklist
You do not need every document before the first eligibility check, but having these ready can speed up the formal proposal.
Debt details
- Creditor names
- Account or reference numbers
- Current balances
- Letters about defaults, CCJs or enforcement
Income evidence
- Recent payslips
- Benefit award letters
- Pension income
- Self-employed accounts or tax returns
Spending and bank records
- Recent bank statements
- Rent or mortgage payment
- Council tax and utility bills
- Food, travel, childcare and insurance costs
Assets and legal action
- Property value and mortgage balance
- Vehicle value and finance details
- Savings or investments
- CCJs, bailiff notices or attachment of earnings
Costs and fees
Do you pay to apply for an IVA?
The IVA Advice eligibility check is free. If an IVA goes ahead, Insolvency Practitioner fees are normally taken from the agreed IVA payments rather than paid separately upfront.
The proposal must explain the fees before creditors vote. Creditors can approve or challenge the fee structure because it affects how much money they receive from the arrangement.
Common IVA fee types
- Nominee fee
- Preparing the proposal and arranging the creditor decision.
- Supervisor fee
- Managing payments, reviews and creditor distributions after approval.
- Disbursements
- Third-party administration costs disclosed in the proposal.
Before you apply
Important IVA risks to understand first
Your credit file
An IVA normally stays on your credit file for 6 years from the start date, which makes borrowing harder during and after the arrangement.
The public register
Your details are entered on the Individual Insolvency Register while the IVA is active and for a short period after completion.
Missed payments
If you cannot keep up payments and no variation is agreed, the IVA can fail. You may still owe the remaining debt and creditors can resume action.
Your home and assets
The 2025 Protocol changed how family home equity is treated, but property ownership still needs careful advice before you apply.
Current rules
What the 2025 IVA Protocol means for applications
The current IVA Protocol is important because it sets expectations for suitable consumer IVAs. It says protocol IVAs should generally be proposed for 60 months, or 72 months where the consumer has a beneficial interest in a family home worth £10,000 or more.
It also emphasises sustainability, transparency and directing people toward free regulated debt advice if a protocol IVA is not suitable.
Source-backed guidance
This page has been checked against current official and charity guidance.
Social proof
People often apply when debt already feels urgent
Customers often mention that calm explanations and practical next steps made the process feel less daunting.
Read customer reviews"Professional, informative and highly supportive throughout what can be a daunting process for people in debt."
Questions before applying
IVA application FAQs
Can I apply for an IVA online?
You can start online with an eligibility check and adviser review. A formal IVA must still be prepared and supervised by a licensed Insolvency Practitioner.
How long does an IVA application take?
A straightforward application often takes 4 to 8 weeks from first assessment to approval. Supplying documents quickly helps keep the process moving.
What debts can be included?
Most unsecured debts can be included, such as credit cards, loans, overdrafts, catalogue debts, payday loans, council tax arrears, utility arrears and many HMRC debts. Student loans, child maintenance, court fines and secured debts are usually excluded.
What happens if creditors reject the IVA?
Your Insolvency Practitioner or adviser should explain alternatives. This may include a revised proposal, Debt Management Plan, Debt Relief Order, bankruptcy, or another route depending on your circumstances.
Will I lose my house?
Not automatically. Home ownership needs individual advice. Under the 2025 Protocol, family home equity is treated differently from older IVA rules, but your property position must be checked before applying.
Ready to start?
Apply for an IVA by checking eligibility first
Use the free assessment to see whether an IVA is likely to be suitable, what your next step could be, and whether another debt solution may fit better.
Start free IVA eligibility checkSources