DRO Approved - Now I get a job offer!

Squeaky_Kleen

I've recently had a DRO approved (as self-employed) and I'll be discharged in just under a year. This is quite the relief as the debt hanging over me was making me miserable. 

Another thing that has been making me miserable is that I graduated in 2019 and as yet haven't found a job related to my degree... until now.  An old friend has been able to put in a good word for me. Obviously this is the opportunity I've been dreaming of since before I went to uni, however I understand any improvement to my income could see my DRO revoked. 

Do people know of many stories of DROs actually being revoked?  If HMRC see me going employed on the books anywhere does that immediately flag up with the insolvency service? 

It seems like I should be rejecting this work to ensure the DRO gets discharged fine, but it's incredibly frustrating, as for every year that passes my degree gets older and my lack of relevant experience looks worse.  I feel like I'm in a very frustrating bind now!

sourcrates

Any change to your circumstances must be self declared, you are not checked up on, and nothing is flagged.

If your disposable income rises above the £75 allowance, you should report it, but your DRO will be revoked, also there are serious consequences for not informing the IS of a change that will affect you qualifying for a DRO.

This is from the .Gov website -

"If you fail to inform the official receiver of a change in circumstances during the Debt Relief Order (DRO) period, you will be committing an offence. This could lead to the DRO being taken away from you and would mean you would have to deal with your debt situation in a different way. Additionally, you could be charged with a criminal offence, which could lead to a fine or even imprisonment "

stu12345_2

if your new job makes you  well paid it makes sense to take the job and pay off the debts via another method, or reject the job and stay as a job seeker. ( you will have to make sure you do not take any job for a year that gives you £75 a month excess) eg take a part time job only
DROs are suitable for someone that is sure they will not go above £75 excess a month for a year, eg those disabled or unable to work or on long term sick. or wants to be supported financially by their partner and is not an active job seeker and thus not claiming any benefits
I think once you have a dro , you cant get another one for at least 6 yrs again.
DROs and Bankruptcy have legal rules and if you break them it could be serious, even jail, unlike DMP's which are not.
could you volunteer at the said company, for free.
maybe another job offer like it will come up in 12 months time.
I graduated in 1999, never got to use my award, ended up with a protected trust deed in scotland( like an IVA), and included student loan into it( it was allowed back them) wrote everything off.in 3 years.
I do regret not using my award.
I also know of a teacher, who constantly leaves his employer and goes back to UNI, to pick up degrees like a hobby, he has huge student debt, but he has no ambition to pay it off, never ever he said.