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Making someone bankrupt is one way to recover money owed to you – bankruptcy petition fees and download a guide to creditor bankruptcy petitions

• Overview

  You have to present a bankruptcy petition to a court if you want to…

• Prove you're owed £5,000 or more

  To make someone bankrupt you must be owed one of the following: at least…

• Check for other bankruptcy petitions

  You must check if the debtor has had any bankruptcy petitions against them…

• Apply

  The bankruptcy petition form you fill in depends on whether: the debtor…

How to apply for bankruptcy. What to do if you’ve been made bankrupt: if you’re at risk of violence, how long it lasts, bankruptcy restrictions, what happens to your home and possessions when you're bankrupt.

• Overview

  Becoming bankrupt is one way to deal with debts you cannot pay. It means…

• Applying to become bankrupt

  There are other options for dealing with your debts that do not restrict…

• If someone's applying to make you bankrupt

  Someone you owe money to can apply to a court to make you bankrupt if you:…

• If you're at risk of violence

  When you’re made bankrupt, your name and address will be published in: the…

• After you've become bankrupt

  You’ll receive a copy of the bankruptcy order. Your name and address will…

• Restrictions

  When you’re bankrupt, you cannot: borrow more than £500 without telling…

• Your home

  The person dealing with your bankruptcy (the ‘trustee’) might sell your…

• Your possessions

  The person dealing with your bankruptcy (the ‘trustee’) will decide if the…

• Your money and income

  You must give the person dealing with your bankruptcy (the ‘trustee’)…

• If you're self employed

  Your business is very likely to be closed, unless the person dealing with…

• Cancel a bankruptcy

  You can apply to cancel (‘annul’) your bankruptcy if: the bankruptcy order…

• When bankruptcy ends

  After 12 months, you’re usually released (‘discharged’) automatically from…

If you're owed money in a bankruptcy or company liquidation case, use a Proof of Debt form to register as a creditor and make a claim for the money you're owed

Application form K16 for an official search for bankruptcy only

Full guidance on what happens when you're made bankrupt.

• Updated: 9 January 2025

This page provides links to guidance produced by, or relating to, the Insolvency Service

• Updated: 21 December 2021

Search the Individual Insolvency Register for details about bankruptcy orders, Debt Relief Orders, Individual Voluntary Arrangements, and restrictions orders and undertakings

Template for a Statement of Affairs (bankruptcy) in relation to the Insolvency (England and Wales) Rules 2016

Use this form to apply for a 'certificate of discharge' to prove that your bankruptcy and restrictions have ended.

A guide to what happens to a PPI claim after someone has been made bankrupt in England and Wales.

• Updated: 4 April 2025