Debts you can include

Examples of debt you can include in bankruptcy are:

• bank account overdrafts
• buy now, pay later
• credit cards
• missed payments (arrears) for utilities, rent or council tax
• payday loans
• personal loans
• store cards
• unsecured car finance

Debts you cannot include

Some debts you cannot include are:

• benefit overpayments due to fraud
• child maintenance payments (unless unpaid before bankruptcy)
• court fines, penalties, compensation and orders imposed by any court
• secured loans such as a mortgage

This is not a complete list of what you can and cannot include. You should discuss your full debts with a money adviser. 

Ongoing payments after bankruptcy

You cannot include ongoing payments in bankruptcy debt.

Examples of ongoing payments are: 

• bills such as gas, electricity and phone
• child maintenance payments
• council tax bills
• insurance payments 
• rent or mortgage

You need to keep making these along with any bankruptcy payments. 

You may be able to include missed payments (arrears) in your debt. But only if the missed payment happened before the bankruptcy award date.