Debt Relief Orders (DRO) - Information & help thread

immoral_angeluk

charly_m wrote: »

Hi wondering if anyone can help me as Im new to all this! My husband and I have about 12k debts and are on a low income so meet the requirements for a dro but what Im wondering is is can we apply for this jointly? Some of the debt is in his name and some in mine but only 2 are joint, he is working but Im not so the only income that is in my name is the child benefit and child tax credits - he has his small income from employment, working tax credits and housing benefit in his name. How we would be able to go about this? Everything is just put in one pot so to speak so we don't pay for things seperatly, all money goes into one account and comes out the same one!
Hope someone can help me as we would really like to go ahead with this!

Nope, you would both have to do your own individual DRO and independantly fit the criteria. You can put your household income on both forms if it's easier. Also bear in mind that 2 DROs means 2x fees too...

istanbul_2

immoral sorry to bother you. would me and my wife have to have separate dro's ? or with us only recieving benefits that doesnt apply? we have both got debts in joint accounts and separate accounts . i am the main claiment for benefits you see. thanks
we are seeing cab on friday at last !! had two appointments cancelled due to staff shortages which is understandable

wba31

istanbul wrote: »

immoral sorry to bother you. would me and my wife have to have separate dro's ? or with us only recieving benefits that doesnt apply? we have both got debts in joint accounts and separate accounts . i am the main claiment for benefits you see. thanks
we are seeing cab on friday at last !! had two appointments cancelled due to staff shortages which is understandable

If debts are in joint names you will both have to apply for DROs. DRO's can only be applied for individually, which also means you'll have to pay £90 each for the order

Denty23

So i decided to get my head out of the sand and take control of my finances and my support worker decided to put me in touch with a dept advice service thats helping me sort out my dept and we decided the best thing i can do is apply for a DRO and i 100% agree with them because after my out goings and bills ect i have £20 a month but they havent put the dro apply in yet and i asked the woman at the dept advice place if i was able to take out a budgeting loan that gets repaid by taking a small amount of money off my income support and she said i wouldnt be allowed to.
So my question is has anyone has the same problem as me and am i really allowed to apply for a budgeting loan since its part of my benefits.
Im living on very little money at the moment and after my bills and things i dont have any money left over i dont work. Am i able to apply for one once the DRO has been granted?
Here is abit more info on the loan i would like, just want to tell people before anyone brings it up i need the money for a new bed and a few other things so im not going out to buy lots of nice things. the things i need are really needed lol

dwp.gov.uk/publications/specialist-guides/technical-guidance/sb16-a-guide-to-the-social/budgeting-loans/
Thanks alot

Orville

I cant say for sure, but i think she maybe wrong. As far as i am aware you can still get a loan while under a dro so long as it's not £500 or over, if it is you have to notify them you are under a dro, so in other words your maximum amount is £499.99 and you dont have to tell them. I got this information by phoning the insolvency service myself and speaking to someone from the dro team.

Now weather the conditions for a budgeting loan acceptance require you not to be under a dro i dont know, but on the loan application it does not ask you if your subject to a dro or anything else for that matter

Denty23

I dont honestly think they will give me more then £200 to be honest but i just wanted to clear that little matter up. thanks Orville.
Next question is this ive been reading that DRO takes a long time to get accepted am i better off just applying for the loan now or shall i wait till the DRO is in force. I dont want them thinking that because im applying for it that i wont pay it back but thats not the case im happy with them taking a few ££ each week from my income support.

Orville

Denty23 wrote: »

I dont honestly think they will give me more then £200 to be honest but i just wanted to clear that little matter up. thanks Orville.
Next question is this ive been reading that DRO takes a long time to get accepted am i better off just applying for the loan now or shall i wait till the DRO is in force. I dont want them thinking that because im applying for it that i wont pay it back but thats not the case im happy with them taking a few ££ each week from my income support.

How long have you been told. For me it took a total of one month. Once i was told a dro was the way to go it was just over a week till she made the application and it was granted the next day. As to when to apply for a loan i dont know, remember i didnt say you could definately apply, i just said i think you can. My advice would be to wait for fatbelly or immoral to come along as they should know for sure

Denty23

Orville wrote: »

How long have you been told. For me it took a total of one month. Once i was told a dro was the way to go it was just over a week till she made the application and it was granted the next day. As to when to apply for a loan i dont know, remember i didnt say you could definately apply, i just said i think you can. My advice would be to wait for fatbelly or immoral to come along as they should know for sure

Well i just had my 2nd interview with money advice plus and i have sent all my letters and bills to them and what i owe via email, ive signed a form allowing them to talk to my creditors on my behalf so i guess she will be applying for a DRO in the next few days. She said she will send me out a letter with a barcode on it so i can start saving up and paying the £90 fee off

scarlett1234

Hi all, am new here and after a bit of advice with DRO's please

Firstly, I am £8k in debt. Not a huge amount compared to some but in my position it's pretty scary when I can't afford to pay it. I'm a single parent with 3 children, one who gets DLA and a motability car. I receive Carer's Allowance, CTC, IS and CB. I am at college part time too and receive a childcare grant from college to help pay part of the childcare costs. Are all of these needed to be included when working out if I am suitable for a DRO including the childrens DLA and Carer's allowance for them?
Also wondered about paying for bills which you are tied into a contract with, such as Sky and mobile phone bills, etc. Are you going to be questioned for having higher than recommended bills, when cancelling them would leave you with even more debt and having to find a new phone provider, etc?

Many thanks in advance

Rovers89

Hi,

I was discharged from my DRO on the 28th October but I haven't heard anything. Will I get something in writing to say it has ended and that I'm debt free or is there somewhere I can check?

Thanks for any help