How to complete and submit the Debt Relief Order (DRO) application form
Guidance for debt advisers who need to create and submit a DRO application.
Applies to England and Wales
You must be an approved intermediary to create, complete and submit a DRO application.
Members of the public cannot access the DRO website, or use it to create and complete their own applications.
Our DRO team review all submitted applications. They’ll contact the applicant directly to let them know if their application has been approved.
Information you’ll need to complete a DRO application
You’ll need the applicant to provide you with:
- personal information including full name, contact details and addresses for the last 3 years
- their National Insurance number
- any current or past debt relief options used (including any reference numbers)
- details of any pensions
- details of their and the rest of their household’s income (employment, benefits, pensions)
- details of their creditors and any debts owed (including reference numbers)
- amount they contribute to household living costs
- any assets (including cash in the bank, vehicles or properties owned, money owed to them, or equipment owned for their business of vocation)
- details of current employment or self employed businesses for the last 3 years
- details of any undervalue transactions made in the last 2 years (a transfer of money or assets for significantly less than their value)
- details of any preferential payments made in the last 2 years (where the applicant puts one creditor with a qualifying debt in a better position than others)
Accessing the DRO website
Before you submit your first application, you must register with the DRO team as an Approved Intermediary (AI) via a registered competent authority.
Once you are set up as an AI, your competent authority will send you an AI number and a default password for the DRO website.
Access the DRO website for further tools and information available for debt advisors.
When you access the DRO website for the first time, enter your AI number and default password. You’ll then be prompted to change your password.
Once logged in you can:
- create a new application
- search and view existing applications
- create or join a group
- change your user details, including your password
You can either create a new application by clicking the new application button, or view ongoing applications.
To view an application from your work list, click the blue reference number. If you cannot find the case, type the last name or application reference number into the search bar.
After you’ve selected a case, you’ll see the application overview page.
The application has 8 sections. You can complete the sections in any order, but you must answer all questions before you submit the application.
There is further guidance on completing each section available.
The information is saved automatically when you move to a new section or page, go back to your homepage or sign out.
You do not have a time limit for completing an application, but your session will time out if you are inactive for 30 minutes.
Pre-submission eligibility checks
The DRO website automatically completes basic eligibility checks on the information you provide. An eligibility warning will appear on your homepage if any information fails these checks.
Click the eligibility warning button to find out why the information has failed a check.
You can still submit an application with eligibility warnings but we may decline it.
Submitting an application
Make sure you complete all 8 sections. You cannot make changes to an application once you have submitted it.
From 06 April 2024, applicants do not need to pay for a DRO – there’s no application fee.
If you have already made part or full payment in advance and would like this money refunded. Request a refund in the normal way.
Read our Debt Relief Order guidance for debt advisers.
Once you’ve completed the application, click the submit application button at the bottom of the overview page. This will take you to the application submission page.
On the application submission page you can:
- add any further information we may need to make a decision. If this will affect the determination decision, email the DRO team with any supporting information and evidence. This must be sent at the time of submission
- advise if the applicant’s address should be withheld
- submit the application
- indicate if you have advised against submission (for example, you think we’ll decline the application)
By submitting the application, you agree that the information provided is accurate and the applicant is aware that:
- we check their information using a credit reference agency
- we can revoke their DRO or they can face enforcement action (including prosecution), if we find they have omitted or provided misleading information
- we send their data to external parties (creditors) in an unencrypted electronic format
After you submit an application
After you submit an application, it’ll be hidden from the work list on your homepage.
You can view a submitted application by:
- searching for the applicant’s name or application reference
- clicking the view submitted applications button on the home page
You can also generate an electronic copy of the application.
We’ll inform the applicant directly once we’ve made a decision about their application.
Support for users
Direct any questions about the application or this guidance to your competent authority.
If you need specific advice or information, The Specialist Debt Advice Service (SDAS) provide advice and support to AIs.
Contact SDAS:
- 0330 058 0404 - Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- send an online enquiry
They will respond to enquiries within 3 working days, or sooner in emergency cases.
For any technical issues with the DRO website, contact the DRO team:
- 0330 678 0015 - Monday to Friday, 9am to 5pm
- email any technical queries
If you need further information, see our general guidance and debt adviser tools and informationpages.
Groups
Group allocation allows you to work more closely with your colleagues.
By creating a group or joining an existing group, you can take ownership of other group member’s cases.
Creating and joining groups
Once you’ve signed in to the DRO website, you’ll be able to create a group for you and your colleagues. The group allocation button is at the top right corner of the homepage. You can either join an existing group or create a new one
To create a new group:
- Select join a group
- Select create a group
- Enter a group name
- Make a note of your group’s access code as other members of your team will need it to join the group.
To join an existing group:
- Select join a group.
- Enter your group’s access code which you can get from any group member. A group member will need to approve your request to join the group.
Approving group members
You’ll receive a notification if someone requests to join your group.
Any member of a group can approve or reject new requests. You can manage requests by clicking ‘view existing group’ details in the group allocation box.
You’ll see new group requests near the top of your screen. You’ll need to individually approve or decline each request.
Accessing other groups members cases
By joining a group, you’ll be able to access and work on other group members’ cases.
To access a case:
- Search for the case in the usual way on the homepage.
- Click the take ownership button.
This will give you ownership of the case, and move it from your colleague’s case list to yours.
Your colleague will need to repeat this process if they need to retake ownership of the case.
Leaving a group
You can leave a group at any time. To do this:
- Go to the group allocation box.
- Select view existing group details.
- Find your name.
- Click remove
You can use the same process to remove other members from a group.
Last updated 6 April 2024 + show all updates
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Content has been updated to inform users a DRO is free to apply for from 06 April 2024.
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First published.