Refunds due to some people who have previously been dealing with problem debts

People who paid a fee for a debt relief order (DRO) but did not submit the application are being encouraged to see if they could get a refund – with thousands of customers still owed money.The Insolvency Service said it is trying to track down people who could be owed refunds for fees paid as far back as a decade ago.DROs are a type of personal insolvency, helping people who have been struggling with problem debts to get back on track.A £90 application fee for a DRO was scrapped in 2024.People who paid that fee for a DRO between 2016 and April 2024 but did not complete their application are eligible for the fee to be refunded, the Insolvency Service said.Up until April 2024, payments were made as part of the application process, either in full or in instalments.Some people will be due a full £90 refund for the fee, while others may be owed more or less, depending on whether they paid in full, overpaid, or made multiple incomplete applications.Applications for DROs are made through authorised debt advisers or charities.The Insolvency Service said it has written to people affected several times since November 2025 with details on how to apply, but some customer contact details may have changed.It said around £450,000 is available in refunds.The Service said around 5,100 customers had been contacted and refunds have been provided to around 1,200 of those customers so far.Caroline Shanahan, senior leader in the personal insolvency team at the Insolvency Service, said: “We want to reassure customers that this is a genuine refund and we want them to claim their money back if it is due.“We’ve tried to contact customers directly, but as the refunds go back 10 years, we know some people’s contact details may have changed.“People applying for a DRO may have been struggling financially – hence needing debt relief – so we’re really keen to return money owed to them as soon as possible.”Read MorePeople who believe they are due a refund can contact [email protected], the Service said. They can also call or write to the agency.Information such as the DRO application number if this is known, along with contact and banking details will help with securing a refund.It is also important to remember that impersonation scammers often pretend to be from government organisations and so people should make sure they know who they are dealing with.