Accredited official statistics

Commentary - Individual Insolvency Statistics March 2026

Published 17 April 2026

Released

17 April 2026

Next release

19 May 2026

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press.office@insolvency.gov.uk

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Statistical enquiries

Edward Tuersley (author)

statistics@insolvency.gov.uk

David Webster (responsible statistician)

This publication relates to individual insolvency only. Statistics relating to company insolvency can be found on the company insolvency releases page.

The Insolvency Service moved to a new case management system on 1 November 2025. There was a controlled introduction of the new system, resulting in delays in the recording of trader status in bankruptcy and the associated Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for self-employed bankrupts. Updated numbers for these breakdowns have therefore not been provided this month and sections on bankruptcies by self-employment status and industry, as well as Tables 4a, 4b and 4c of the accompanying tables, have been omitted. If you have any feedback or concerns about the unavailability of these statistics on trader status and SIC code then please contact the statistics team by email statistics@insolvency.gov.uk.

1. Main messages for England and Wales

• In March 2026, 12,252 individual insolvencies were registered in England and Wales. This was 30% higher than in March 2025 and 3% higher than in February 2026.

• The individual insolvencies consisted of 654 bankruptcies, 4,523 debt relief orders (DROs) and 7,075 individual voluntary arrangements (IVAs). The number of DROs in March 2026 was a record high in the monthly time series going back to their introduction in 2009, exceeding the previous high of 4,301 in February 2026. The number of IVAs was higher than both February 2026 and the 2025 monthly average. The monthly numbers of bankruptcies between November 2025 and February 2026 were affected by the Insolvency Service’s transition to a new case management system. In March 2026, bankruptcies were at a similar level to October 2025.

• In the 12 months ending 31 March 2026, one in 379 adults in England and Wales entered insolvency (at a rate of 26.4 per 10,000 adults). This was higher than the rate of 24.2 per 10,000 adults (one in 413) who entered insolvency in the 12 months ending 31 March 2025.

• There were 5,175 Breathing Space registrations in March 2026. This was 36% lower than in March 2025. Numbers of breathing spaces have been lower since December 2025 after the largest money advisor group by number of cases updated its suitability criteria for its clients to apply for a breathing space.

Figure 1: Individual insolvency numbers in March 2026 were higher than March 2025 and slightly higher than February 2026.

Monthly individual insolvencies by type, England and Wales, March 2021 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted

Source: Insolvency Service

The long-term series back to January 2000 (where applicable) can be found in the comma-separated values (CSV) file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

1.1 Things you need to know about this release

This statistics release contains the latest data on individual insolvency in the United Kingdom, presenting the numbers of individuals who have entered a formal insolvency procedure after being unable to pay their debts. Informal debt solutions, such as debt management plans, are not included in these statistics. Information is presented separately for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland.

Underlying data for these monthly statistics for England and Wales were adjusted using an autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) model where there was evidence of seasonality. This removal of systematic calendar-related variation enables comparisons to be made between months and the underlying trend in insolvency numbers to be determined. In accordance with the outcome of the April 2026 Seasonal Adjustment Review, bankruptcies, DROs and IVAs were all seasonally adjusted. Where applicable, seasonally adjusted numbers are used and referred to throughout this commentary. For the series which have been seasonally adjusted, the underlying (non-seasonally adjusted) numbers can be found in Tables 1b and 3b of the accompanying tables. Breathing space registration figures are not seasonally adjusted as the time series is not yet sufficiently long to support reliable adjustment. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland are not seasonally adjusted.

The Insolvency Service moved to a new case management system on 1 November 2025. There was a controlled introduction of the new system, resulting in delays in the recording of trader status in bankruptcy and the associated Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for self-employed bankrupts. Updated numbers have therefore not been provided this month and sections on bankruptcies by self-employment status and industry, as well as Tables 4a, 4b and 4c of the accompanying tables, have been omitted.

The numbers of breathing space registrations under the Debt Respite Scheme are included in these statistics. Individuals that register for breathing space may or may not end up entering a formal insolvency procedure. Those that do enter a formal insolvency procedure will be counted accordingly in Tables 1 to 5 of the accompanying tables.

Population estimates for people over the age of 18, as published by the Office for National Statistics, were used to calculate individual insolvency rates per 10,000 adults. The 2022-based population projections were used to calculate rates for 2025 and 2026.

All figures presented within this release are provisional and subject to review. Further detail can be found in the accompanying Individual Insolvency Statistics Methodology and Quality document.

1.2 Designation as accredited official statistics

These accredited official statistics were independently reviewed by the Office for Statistics Regulation (OSR) in July 2024. They comply with the standards of trustworthiness, quality and value in the Code of Practice for Statistics and should be labelled ‘accredited official statistics’.

Further details of the OSR’s review of these statistics can be found in their published Compliance Check. You are welcome to contact us directly with any comments about how we meet these standards. Alternatively, you can contact OSR by emailing regulation@statistics.gov.uk or via the OSR website.

2. Individual insolvency in England and Wales

2.1 Number of individual insolvencies

Latest month

In March 2026, 12,252 individual insolvencies were registered in England and Wales. This was 30% higher than in March 2025, and 3% higher than in February 2026. The 4,523 DROs registered in March 2026 was a record high in the monthly time series going back to their introduction in 2009, exceeding the previous high of 4,301 in February 2026.

Long-term trends

Total individual insolvency numbers peaked in 2009 and 2010 following the 2008-09 recession, then decreased over the next five years as the number of bankruptcies declined. Between 2015 and 2019, a rise in IVA numbers resulted in a corresponding increase in overall insolvency figures. During the COVID-19 pandemic, numbers of bankruptcies and DROs fell, and the increase in IVA numbers slowed. This resulted in lower overall individual insolvency figures between 2020 and 2022 compared to 2019, despite a record high in the annual number of IVAs in 2022.

The number of IVAs declined in 2023, reaching the lowest level since 2017. This drop coincided with a number of changes to the wider regulatory landscape. The Financial Conduct Authority introduced a ban on debt packagers receiving remuneration for referrals to IVA firms. Additionally, Recognised Professional Bodies adopted a new Statement of Insolvency Practice in relation to take-on procedures. In 2024, IVAs increased slightly on 2023 levels, and in 2025, they increased further, but remained below the record annual numbers seen between 2018 and 2022.

Annual numbers of DROs increased every year from 2021 to 2025. Numbers rose following the expansion of the eligibility criteria in June 2021 and the introduction of new DRO hubs in February 2023. Further larger increases followed the removal of the £90 administration fee to obtain a DRO from 6 April 2024 and the expansion of eligibility criteria in June 2024. Numbers in 2025 were higher than 2024, making it the year with the highest volume of DROs since their introduction in 2009.

In 2025, bankruptcy numbers were slightly lower than in 2024 and remained at less than half of pre-2020 levels, but were higher than the 40-year low seen in 2022.

Figure 2: Individual insolvency numbers in March 2026 were higher than in March 2025 and slightly higher than in February 2026.

Monthly individual insolvencies by insolvency type, England and Wales, January 2000 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted

Source: Insolvency Service

The long-term series back to January 2000 can be found in the CSV file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

These monthly statistics are seasonally adjusted to account for seasonal variation in insolvencies across the year and allow the underlying trend to be determined. Both adjusted and unadjusted numbers can be found in the accompanying data tables.

In the 12 months to 31 March 2026, 57% of individual insolvencies were IVAs, 37% were DROs, and 6% were bankruptcies. In the previous 12 months (ending March 2025), 55% of individual insolvencies were IVAs, 39% were DROs, and 6% were bankruptcies. The long-term trend shows a decrease in the proportion of individual insolvencies that are bankruptcies. In 2016, for example, 54% of individual insolvencies were IVAs, 29% were DROs and 17% were bankruptcies.

Table 1: The number of individual insolvencies in March 2026 was higher than both March 2025 and February 2026.

Period	Total individual insolvencies	Bankruptcies	Debt relief orders	Individual voluntary arrangements
Mar 2025	9,420	638	3,578	5,204
Dec 2025	13,355	628	4,193	8,534
Jan 2026	11,049	838	3,882	6,329
Feb 2026	11,842	806	4,301	6,735
Mar 2026	12,252	654	4,523	7,075
Percentage change, latest month compared to:
vs Mar 2025	30%	3%	26%	36%
vs Feb 2026	3%	-19%	5%	5%

Source: Insolvency Service

The long-term series back to January 2000 can be found in the CSV file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

IVAs

The 7,075 IVAs registered in March 2026 was 5% higher than in February 2026, 36% higher than in March 2025 and 18% higher than the 2025 monthly average.

Additional information relating to IVA numbers, including numbers by date of approval of creditors and numbers of registered IVAs by the firm managing the case can be found in Tables 1a, 1b, 1c and 7b of the accompanying data tables. Further information on the status of IVAs and the duration of terminated IVAs can be found in the annual IVA outcomes and providers publication.

DROs

In March 2026, 4,523 DROs were made, the highest number on record in the monthly time series going back to their introduction in 2009. This was 5% higher than the previous record high in February 2026. Monthly numbers over the past two years have been higher than at any other point since their introduction, following the removal of a fee for entering a DRO in April 2024.

Additional information relating to DRO numbers, including numbers by authorising body, can be found in Tables 1a, 1b and 7a of the accompanying data tables.

Bankruptcies

The number of bankruptcies in March 2026 was 654, which was 19% lower than in February 2026 but 3% higher than in March 2025. The monthly numbers of bankruptcies between November 2025 and February 2026 were affected by the Insolvency Service’s transition to a new case management system. In March 2026, bankruptcies were at a similar level to October 2025.

Additional information relating to bankruptcy numbers can be found in the sections below and in Tables 1a and 1b of the accompanying data tables. Information relating to Income Payment Agreements and Income Payment Orders in bankruptcy cases can be found in Table 5.

2.2 Breathing Space registrations

There were 5,175 breathing spaces registered under the Debt Respite Scheme in March 2026. This is 36% lower than in March 2025. Of the 5,175 breathing space registrations, 5,045 were Standard breathing space registrations and 130 were Mental Health breathing space registrations.

Between the start of the scheme in May 2021 and 31 March 2026, StepChange Debt Charity registered 58% of breathing spaces. However, in November 2025 StepChange updated its suitability criteria for its clients to apply for Breathing Space, which has led to a reduction in the volume of applications both for this provider and overall.

More information on numbers of Breathing Spaces, including by money advisor group, can be found in Tables 6 and 7c of the accompanying data tables.

Figure 3: The number of Breathing Spaces in March 2026 was lower than in March 2025.

Monthly Breathing Space registrations by type, England and Wales, May 2021 to March 2026, not seasonally adjusted

Source: Insolvency Service

2.3 Rates of individual insolvency per 10,000 adults

The individual insolvency rate in the 12 months to March 2026 was 26.4 per 10,000 adults in England and Wales (as shown in Table 2 and Figure 4 below). This corresponds to one in 379 adults having entered an insolvency procedure in the past 12 months.

The rate in the 12 months to March 2026 was higher than the rate in the 12 months to March 2025. This was driven by higher IVA rates, while DRO and bankruptcy rates also slightly increased.

The insolvency rate is calculated as a proportion of the adult population, and is therefore more comparable over longer time periods than absolute numbers. A 12-month rolling rate is presented to reduce the volatility associated with estimates based on single months. The March 2026 rates, for example, were calculated using data covering the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026.

Table 2: The rate of individual insolvency in the 12 months to March 2026 was higher than for the 12 months to March 2025, driven by a rise in DRO and IVA rates

England and Wales, 12 month rolling rate per 10,000 adults, March 2025 to March 2026

Period	Total individual insolvencies	Bankruptcies	Debt relief orders	Individual voluntary arrangements
Mar 2025	24.2	1.5	9.3	13.3
Dec 2025	25.3	1.5	9.4	14.4
Jan 2026	25.5	1.5	9.4	14.5
Feb 2026	25.8	1.6	9.5	14.7
Mar 2026	26.4	1.6	9.7	15.2
Change in rate, latest month compared to:
vs Mar 2025	2.2	0.1	0.4	1.9

Please note that the total values may not equal the sum of their components due to rounding.

The long-term series back to January 2000 (where applicable) can be found in the CSV file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

In the 12 months ending March 2026:

• the IVA rate increased by 1.9 in comparison to the 12 months ending March 2025

• the rate of DROs increased by 0.4

• the rate of bankruptcies increased by 0.1

Further details can be found in Table 2 of the accompanying data tables.

Figure 4: The individual insolvency rate in the 12 months to March 2026 was higher than in the 12 months to March 2025.

12-month rolling insolvency rate per 10,000 adults, England and Wales, January 2000 to March 2026

Source: Insolvency Service

The long-term series back to January 2000 (where applicable) can be found in the CSV file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

2.4 Bankruptcies by petition type

There were 654 bankruptcies in March 2026, consisting of:

• 549 resulting from debtors’ applications, which was 19% lower than in February 2026 and 20% higher than in March 2025. Numbers of debtor bankruptcy orders between November 2025 and February 2026 were affected by the Insolvency Service’s transition to a new case management system which reduced processing volumes before clearing the backlog.

• 105 resulting from creditors’ petitions, which was 20% lower than in February 2026 and 42% lower than March 2025

In March 2026, 84% of bankruptcies resulted from debtors’ applications, which is higher than the 72% in March 2025.

More detail can be found in Tables 3a and 3b of the accompanying data tables.

Figure 5: Bankruptcies resulting from debtors’ applications in March 2026 were higher than in March 2025.

Monthly bankruptcies by petition type, England and Wales, March 2021 to March 2026, seasonally adjusted

Source: Insolvency Service

The long-term series can be found in the CSV file that accompanies this release. Data prior to 2000 can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file or back to 1960 (where available) on the National Archives website.

The Insolvency Service moved to a new case management system on 1 November 2025. There was a controlled introduction of the new system, which necessitated a reduction in processing volumes while case management activity recommenced. This also caused a delay in the recording of trader bankruptcy status and SIC codes. Therefore, the sections on bankruptcies by self-employment status and bankruptcies by industry have been removed until the required data is available.

3. Individual insolvency in Scotland

Legislation relating to individual insolvency in Scotland is devolved. The Accountant in Bankruptcy (AiB), Scotland’s Insolvency Service, administers individual insolvency in Scotland. The figures below are not seasonally adjusted. The AiB produces individual insolvency statistics on a quarterly basis. Therefore, the numbers in this section are updated once every three months only.

The quarters referred to are calendar year quarters, such that Q4 2025 covers the period 1 October to 31 December 2025. In Q4 2025, there were 1,896 individual insolvencies in Scotland, which was 6% higher than in the same quarter of 2024.

The individual insolvencies were comprised of 1,122 protected trust deeds and 774 bankruptcies (also known as sequestrations), of which 431 went into bankruptcy via the minimal asset process route. The rules regarding bankruptcy differ to those in England and Wales, so numbers of bankruptcies are not directly comparable.

Figure 6: The number of individual insolvencies in Scotland in Q4 2025 was higher than in Q4 2024.

Quarterly individual insolvencies by type. Scotland, Q1 2016 to Q4 2025, not seasonally adjusted

Source: Accountant in Bankruptcy, Scotland

The long-term series can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file.

More detail can be found in the AiB statistical release.

4. Individual insolvency in Northern Ireland

Individual insolvency in Northern Ireland is governed by separate, but broadly similar, legislation to England and Wales. Therefore, figures are presented separately.

In March 2026, there were 156 individual insolvencies in Northern Ireland. This was 16% higher than in March 2025. There were 110 IVAs, 23 DROs and 23 bankruptcies.

Figure 7: Total individual insolvencies in Northern Ireland in March 2026 were higher than in March 2025.

Monthly individual insolvencies by type, Northern Ireland, March 2021 to March 2026, not seasonally adjusted

Source: Department for the Economy, Northern Ireland

The quarterly long-term series can be found in the long-run individual insolvencies CSV file.

5. Data and Methodology

5.1 Data sources

Individual insolvency data for England and Wales were sourced from Insolvency Service administrative systems. Individual insolvency data for Northern Ireland were sourced from the Department for the Economy. Numbers for Scotland were sourced from AiB Official Statistics. Breathing space data for England and Wales were sourced from the Breathing Space register.

The Insolvency Service moved to a new case management system on 1 November 2025. There was a controlled introduction of the new system, resulting in a reduction in processing volumes while case management activity recommenced. This resulted in debtor bankruptcy orders being made in a slower timeframe than usual (although still within statutory requirements). A backlog of cases therefore formed in the last two months of 2025, which was cleared in January and February 2026, resulting in additional debtor bankruptcy orders in these months. In March 2026, bankruptcies were at a similar level to October 2025.

The move to the new case management system also caused delays in the recording of trader status in bankruptcy and the associated Standard Industrial Classification (SIC) code for self-employed bankrupts. Updated numbers have therefore not been provided this month and sections on bankruptcies by self-employment status and industry, as well as Tables 4a, 4b and 4c of the accompanying tables, have been omitted.

Population estimates for people over the age of 18, as published by the Office for National Statistics, were used to calculate individual insolvency rates per 10,000 adults. The 2022-based population projections were used to calculate rates for 2025 and 2026.

More information on the administrative systems used to compile insolvency statistics can be found in the accompanying Individual Insolvency Statistics Methodology and Quality document.

5.2 Coverage

This statistical release presents individual insolvency statistics for England and Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. More detailed individual insolvency statistics for Scotland can be found on the AiB website. Insolvency statistics for Scotland and Northern Ireland are presented separately to statistics for England and Wales as they are covered by separate legislation and policy responsibility lies with the devolved administrations and may therefore not be directly comparable.

Informal debt solutions, such as debt management plans, are not included in these statistics.

5.3 Methodology and data quality

Detailed methodology and quality information for the monthly insolvency statistical releases can be found in the accompanying Individual Insolvency Statistics Methodology and Quality document.

The main quality and coverage issues to note:

1. This statistical release presents the numbers of IVAs based on their date of registration on Insolvency Service systems. Where there are significant delays in the registration of IVAs, numbers presented here will not reflect the number of IVAs agreed in a given month. Table 1c of the accompanying data tables presents numbers by approval date.

2. Underlying data for these monthly statistics for England and Wales were adjusted using an ARIMA model where there was evidence of seasonality. This removal of systematic calendar-related variation enables comparisons to be made between months and the underlying trend in insolvency numbers to be determined. Data for Scotland and Northern Ireland were not adjusted. The seasonal adjustment models are reviewed on an annual basis. In accordance with the outcome of the April 2026 Seasonal Adjustment Review, bankruptcies, DROs and IVAs were all seasonally adjusted. Seasonal adjustment in this publication typically results in numbers being adjusted by up to 10%. There are a few cases where the adjustment is larger. For example, bankruptcy numbers tend to be 20-30% lower during December than other months. Therefore, the process of seasonal adjustment increases the December bankruptcy numbers by approximately 20-30% to correspond to the underlying trend.

3. Insolvency Service data for the most recent month were extracted approximately five working days after month end and may be revised in the future. In particular, some creditor bankruptcies for the latest month may not yet have been entered onto the administrative system at the time of data extraction.

5.4 Revisions

These statistics are subject to revisions, as set out in the published Revisions Policy. Revisions tend to be made as a result of data being entered onto administrative systems after the cut-off date for data being extracted to produce the statistics. In addition, seasonally adjusted numbers are revised in subsequent publications, as the ARIMA model used is updated with additional data. Any future revisions will be noted in the accompanying data tables.

6. Glossary

6.1 Key terms used within this statistical bulletin

Term	Definition
ARIMA model	Autoregressive integrated moving average, or ARIMA, is a model fitted to time-series data to understand the underlying trend, or to forecast future data points. In this publication, ARIMA models with both non-seasonal and seasonal components are fit to insolvency data. The model removes the seasonal component of the data, including effects resulting from the time of year, as well as the varying number of trading days in different months. This allows month-to-month comparisons to be made.
Bankruptcy	A form of debt relief available for anyone who is unable to pay their debts. Assets owned will vest in a trustee in bankruptcy, who will sell them and distribute the proceeds to creditors. Discharge from debts usually takes place 12 months after the bankruptcy order is granted. Bankruptcies result from either a debtor application, where the individual is unable to pay their debts and applies online to make themselves bankrupt, or a creditor petition, where a creditor owed £5,000 or more can apply to the court to have the individual declared bankrupt. These statistics relate to petitions that resulted in a court order, although not all petitions lead to a bankruptcy order.
Breathing Space	For individuals, the Breathing Space scheme, launched on 4 May 2021, gives people legal protections from their creditors for 60 days, with most interest and penalty charges frozen, and enforcement action halted. Because problem debt can be linked to mental health issues, these protections are also available for people in mental health crisis treatment – for the full duration of their crisis treatment plus another 30 days.
Debt Relief Order (DRO)	A form of debt relief available to those who have a low income, low assets and debt no more than a specified value. There is no distribution to creditors, and discharge from debts takes place 12 months after the DRO is granted. DROs were introduced in April 2009. Following an announcement on 6 March 2024, the £90 administration fee to obtain a DRO was abolished on 6 April 2024. Furthermore, on 28 June 2024, the criteria for DRO eligibility were expanded. The debt threshold was increased from £30,000 to £50,000 and the allowable value of an exempt motor vehicle was increased from £2,000 to £4,000.
Individual Voluntary Arrangement (IVA)	A voluntary means of repaying creditors some or all of what they are owed. Once approved by 75% or more of creditors, the arrangement is binding on all. IVAs are supervised by licensed insolvency practitioners.
Standard Industrial Classification (SIC 2007)	Used in classifying business establishments and other statistical units by the type of economic activity in which they are engaged. Further information can be found on the Office for National Statistics website.