Young adults resort to 'bankruptcy lite'

Posted in 'Dealing with Debt' by Barry Stamp

30 December 2011

More young adults are turning to bankruptcy, according to official sources. Since they were introduced in 2009, one in four people who have taken out Debt Relief Orders Service. DROs are commonly known as ‘bankruptcy lite’ and are a form of insolvency available only to those with few assets, low income and relatively low levels of (DROs) fall into the 25-34 age category according to the Insolvency debt.

In an attempt to address this growing problem, the Insolvency Service has launched a “Dealing With Your Debt” campaign which tries to encourage debt-stressed young adults to seek help at an early stage.

The campaign is supported by several free debt advice charities including the Citizens Advice Bureau, Money Advice Trust (MAT) and the Consumer Credit Counselling Service (CCCS).

Joanna Elson, CEO of Money Advice Trust commented: "Many struggling 25 to 34-year-olds might have expected to be further up the financial ladder by now. At the same age their parents would most likely have bought their first home, have a comfortable pension lined up, and be saving for the future. For today's 25 to 34-year-olds the picture is much bleaker. The good news is that help is available and free advice services can make a big difference."

"Traditionally when young people have borrowed money it has been with the expectation of a continual rise in earnings over coming years. Young people of today may have borrowed with the same expectations, but the difference is that those expectations have not been realised, leaving many struggling to meet agreed repayment plans.”

"At the same time it is getting more expensive to fill up the car, heat the home and put food on the table. The combined effect of all these pressures is that more young people are looking for a different solution to help them back on their feet, and for some the most suitable option is a debt relief order."

We reported on the rise and rise of DROs just six weeks ago, and how they have been displacing Individual Voluntary Arrangements (IVAs) as the ‘easier’ bankruptcy option.

But whatever form of bankruptcy is chosen, the upshot is the same. It will stay on your credit report for six years and on HM Land Registry records for twelve years. Bankrupts willl have trouble getting credit even after discharge, and even opening a bank account is difficult.

Some debts, such as student loans, remain totally unaffected by insolvency and remain due.

You can check your credit report for insolvencies by accessing our Multi Agency Credit Report - it’s free to trial for 30 days, then costs only £9.99 per month until you cancel, which you can do at any time. Our Multi Agency Credit Reports are the most comprehensive available in the UK – containing more than twice the information than any other credit report.